


My Truth In A World Of Lies

by ArcaneGhost



Category: BLACKPINK (Band)
Genre: F/F, Idols, Pre-Idol, Realistic, Slow Burn, Trainee, jenlisa
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-07
Updated: 2021-02-27
Packaged: 2021-03-06 06:21:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 64,632
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25768837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArcaneGhost/pseuds/ArcaneGhost
Summary: It's Lisa's first day of training after winning the Thailand audition to become an idol in YG Entertainment, a talent agency in Korea. She moved to the country blindly, without knowing anyone or even speaking the language. Fortunately, a pretty girl befriends her and Lisa starts believing she might just be able to survive.
Relationships: Jennie Kim/Lalisa Manoban | Lisa
Comments: 76
Kudos: 244





	1. The Girl in Question

A teenage girl went through the corridors of the training center academy by YG Entertainment, a talent agency based in Seoul, South Korea. Everyone around her seemed busy. Just like her, other girls her age were wearing workout clothes to dance, except they weren't alone. Manoban Lalisa had moved here all the way from Thailand after winning YG's audition. She still couldn't believe it, since four thousand people participated in total. All her singing and dancing practice in the past had led her here, leaving her life behind for her dream of becoming a K-Pop idol. She was so excited, but also really nervous. The real worry was, Lalisa didn't understand the language at all and she didn't know anyone here. She was supposed to start studying Korean the following day, the company expected her to learn quickly with her teachers and fellow trainees. Hopefully, the other girls will only ask for her name, say hi and that would be it for the next hours.

Lalisa checked the time on her phone and decided to enter the room where practice would be held. She was here five minutes early and I swear this was the first time in her life that had happened, Lalisa just didn't want to leave a bad impression on her first day as a trainee and maybe it was just a good excuse to quit her bad habit.

The practice room was huge, it had wooden flooring and mirrored walls. The dance studio in Thailand suddenly felt like an ant in comparison, her old dance crew would faint. But Lalisa would keep it together, she's too cool to lose it now.

Inside, there were more trainees, who were just sitting on the floor and talking or checking themselves out in the mirror. Lalisa wasn't sure if there was something she was actually supposed to be doing since she didn't see a choreographer anywhere, so she decided to stretch and warm up a little in the meantime. For a moment she considered she might look dumb, you know, this brand new foreigner with average short black hair trying to be responsible. She did not only notice the rest had long and shiny girly hair but some of them had their hair dyed, which was something Lalisa had been dying to do for the longest time, but she'd never gotten around to it because she didn't want her family and friends to look at her funny. Plus, she had been busy with dance and singing lessons, shorter hair was just more convenient for dancing. But Lalisa had made a promise to herself when she'd landed in Korea. She would not waste this chance and she will become her true self, whoever that may be.

She looked for the small, thin hair tie in her pocket. She couldn't really do much with it, but hell she wanted to seem... well, _girlish_. Today's Lalisa just wanted to look like the rest and not draw much attention to herself. So she did her best to find the longest strand of hair she owned and tied it up, ending up with an apple hairstyle. She glanced at the mirror. _Yeah, this will do_.

Manoban continued stretching for a little while until a woman in her late twenties entered the room and clapped three times, everyone's eyes turning to her. "Hello, everyone. For all the new trainees that arrived today, I'm your choreographer Kim Hee Jung. Everyone, line up."

Lalisa only understood "Hello" out of those Korean sentences, but she saw a group of girls moving beside her and also behind her. She remained on her place in the first row and waited for the next instructions, not that she would understand them either.

"Lalisa," teacher Hee Jung called her name.

Lalisa looked at the woman with a hint of confusion.

The choreographer gestured her to come forward. The only thing Hee Jung said was, "Daenseu."

The word sounded similar enough to "Dance" in English for Lalisa to understand, so she got into position and waited for the music to play. For just a second, she feared she would have to improvise a choreography right then, but thankfully it was a Korean song she loved and remembered all the moves from its music video. _Everything's okay, I can do this, I can do it perfectly_. Shortly, she lost her mind to the rhythm and her body was set free. She couldn't even hear the small gasps and see all the widened eyes around her. Eventually, the song ended and Lalisa felt her breathing again.

"Just for your information, this is Manoban Lalisa," Hee Jung said firmly. "She's our first international trainee from Thailand and she doesn't speak any Korean. She needs to learn the language quickly under these circumstances, so you aren't allowed to talk to her in anything other than Korean."

Everyone nodded and she turned back to Lalisa. "Gamsa, Lalisa."

The Thai girl just nodded and went back to her place. Hee Jung proceeded to call two other new trainees to the front who, unlike Lalisa, were from Korea. Lalisa was so proud of herself for winning the audition, she was ready to sing and dance at any second, but she felt really careless and unprepared for surviving in the country itself. She reached for her bag and took out a small dictionary.

"Nan jeongmal dangsin-ui chum-eul joh-a," someone said next to her.

 _Okay, those are too many words to search._ Lalisa turned to see a cute and short Korean girl smiling at her. She had black hair as well, but it was tied into a messy bun. In comparison to everyone, this girl was the only one wearing black clothes. Lalisa liked her already.

If she had heard right, the Korean girl had said something about her dancing. _Did she think I wasn't up to their standard?_ Lalisa scanned the girl's face, no signs of judgment but admiration. The girl must have sensed her thinking, so she raised her thumbs up for reassurance. Lalisa smiled back. "Gamsa," she repeated what the teacher had said a minute ago. According to her dictionary, it meant "Thanks."

The Korean girl extended her hand towards her. "Kim Jennie."

Lalisa took it. "Annyeong, Kim Jennie. Manoban Lalisa."

* * *

After introducing themselves, they paid attention to the other new trainees' dance performances as the rest warmed up. In Jennie's opinion, they weren't as good as Lalisa. Hell, even Jennie wasn't as good as Lalisa and Jennie had been here for almost eight months now. The need to praise Lalisa had become urgent, even if the Thai girl might not understand her. It must be hard to not be able to communicate with anyone in a foreign country. Don't get her wrong though, Jennie wasn't looking for any new friends since her group PINKPUNK had recently lost some members. Right now she just wanted to be by herself during practice unless she was actually required to talk to the remaining members. After all, they were all on the same boat. But before the Thai girl's dance, Jennie had heard others talk...

 _Jennie entered the practice room and stood next to a couple of new trainees speaking in low voices, staring at a girl Jennie didn't quite recognize. The girl in question had short hair and a really thin figure._ _It was noticeable because she was peacefully stretching her body while wearing a blue crop top and oversized black pants, which gave away her long legs. Jennie couldn't really see her face properly until the mystery girl turned a little towards her direction as she finished a stretch. Jennie thought she looked like a cute namdongsaeng, specially with her hair tied like that. Only this namdongsaeng was dressed in swagger, the girl even had a silver chain hanging around her neck. Jennie giggled to herself._

_"She looks like a boy," one of the trainees said in a harsh tone._

_"Why is she even here?" the other answered._

_Jennie isn't quite sure why, but she got angry and stepped in front of them. "If that girl is here, it's because she deserves to be here. Didn't you guys work hard to pass the audition too?"_

_The two looked hurt._ Yes, you should be, bitches _. Before they could apologize, Seonsaengnim Hee Jung walked to the front of the room. For an instant, Jennie feared that the choreography teacher had heard them, but instead she called someone called "Lalisa," who seemed to be her mystery girl._

Oh, had them all been wrong. _The moment Lalisa danced, the girls who'd been judging her had shut the fuck up._ Good _. Jennie couldn't help to be amazed too, not only did Lalisa have all the moves memorized in perfect timing, but she showed attitude and feeling on the performance. It was breathtaking._

Jennie couldn't help but glance at Lalisa by her side. _So she's from Thailand?_ Even if she had heard the girls' snarky comments, she wouldn't have been able to defend herself. Jennie realized she had no regrets at all.

Her train of thought ended when Seonsaengnim Hee Jung called everyone to start dancing together. Fortunately, Lalisa had been too focused on finishing the warm-up with the rest of the trainees to notice. If she had caught Jennie staring, it would've been pretty embarrassing.

* * *

Twelve hours of training had passed very slowly. _So this is her everyday life now, huh?_ To be fair, Lalisa didn't feel time while dancing, but her body was very relieved when they had short water breaks. Also, being here was intimidating, to say the least. Not necessarily because of the long amount of practice hours but because she felt she couldn't be herself. She couldn't talk to girls around her and make silly jokes to lighten up the tense mood. Instead, she had to endure this gloomy atmosphere, which she absolutely despised. You could tell something bad had happened before Lalisa arrived. Currently, her only light in the dark seemed to be Jennie, who gave her an encouraging smile every time their eyes met.

By the end of practice, Jennie had said, "Great work today. Goodnight, Lalisa" in Korean. Of course, Lalisa didn't understand her, so the Thai girl just grinned. Jennie held her laughter, patted Lalisa's head, and waved her goodbye.

Lalisa had been shocked when Jennie patted her head. You see, that is kind of disrespectful in Thailand and no one had ever done that to her. Don't misunderstand her though, Lalisa didn't feel offended or anything. Thai traditions were something that wasn't a rule in her house since she grew up with a Swiss father. But that interaction made Lalisa wonder why patting someone's head is disrespectful when it felt so heart-warming...

That night, Lalisa researched common Korean phrases and she realized the last thing Jennie had told her was "Goodnight." She also looked up Korean jokes, clearly getting her priorities straight. She just didn't want to say "Hello," "Good morning," "Thanks," and "Goodnight" for the rest of her life.

Fortunately, Lalisa had a Korean lesson right before her singing lessons the following day, so she was hoping to learn even more useful phrases.

* * *

Lalisa was five minutes early again. To be honest, she just really wanted to practice her new Korean knowledge. She easily spotted Jennie on one of the chairs in the back. Lalisa ran up to her and sat by her side. "Hello," she said in Korean.

"Hello," Jennie answered back with a smile. She found Lalisa's accent and excited face really adorable.

"Yesterday I wanted to say..." Lalisa paused to remember the correct sentence. She had specifically asked her teacher to tell her how to pronounce it. "That it's a pleasure to meet you."

"Likewise, Lalisa."

The Thai girl was happy to have gone to class today. "How old are you? I'm 14."

"Oh, wow, I'm the older one then," Jennie replied. "I'm 15."

"Cool!" Lisa suddenly exclaimed in English, but then she remembered that she was trying to practice Korean. "Um..." She decided to pull out a small notebook and read her research from yesterday. "Jennie, what is the biggest bean in the world?"

"What—?"

"Kingkong!"

Jennie rolled her eyes at the pun. "What are they teaching you in your Korean lessons?"

Clearly, Lalisa hadn't understood Jennie because she kept going. "What did the cookie say to his friends when he was ready to go?"

"Gwaja?" Jennie said, expressionless.

"Gwaja!" Lalisa announced. "Hey, wait," she suddenly said in English. "I have one more."

Jennie sighed. "Alright..."

"What did the boneless fish say?" Pause. "O mai gasi!" Lalisa laughed at herself while Jennie felt both embarrassed and warm.

Soon, the singing coach arrived and introduced herself as Shin Yoo Mi. In the meantime, Lalisa turned the page on her notebook, wrote something, and showed Jennie. It read, "Do you speak English well? I only know the basics and song lyrics ㅠ_ㅠ"

Jennie grabbed Lalisa's notebook and wrote back, "Yes, I was living on my own in New Zealand for 5 years. Since I'm the only one who can speak English quickly, everyone makes me sing the rap parts in our hip-hop covers ㅋㅋㅋ"

"You lived on your own? This is my first time," Lisa jotted down and then added, "Rap is so cool, I can't wait to hear you ;)"

"Prepare yourself, you're not ready," Jennie wrote and then listened to the lesson.

Lalisa started drawing cute kittens in her notebook since she couldn't really understand the vocal coach. Some of the words coach Yoo Mi was saying felt familiar from previous Korean idol videos she had watched but never really understood, so she took note of what she heard to research later.

As Lalisa had expected, they made everyone do singing warm-ups to calculate their current vocal range and talent. Then, they would all pick a song to perform in front of the class and receive feedback. In the newbies' cases, they would have to perform by themselves. It kind of reminded Lalisa of her singing lessons in Thailand.

While most girls chose Korean songs, Jennie went with the Western single _Airplanes_ by B.o.B, featuring Hayley Williams from Paramore. The track was perfect to show off her rapping skills and she got her talented friend Miyeon to memorize all the English lyrics in the chorus. Miyeon is probably the only person left in PINKPUNK that Jennie would wanna hang out with outside of training hours.

When Jennie started rapping, she made sure to look at the Thai girl's reaction. Jennie couldn't help but smirk at Lalisa's amazed face.

Once the song ended, they were congratulated by the coach, who gave them a few tips. As Jennie returned to her seat after praising Miyeon, Lalisa was screaming excitedly. "Nollal manhan!"

Jennie smirked to try to hide her blush. While she was confident in her skills, she still wasn't used to receiving compliments because she constantly got judged in their monthly evaluations.

"Now you get ready!" Lalisa suddenly said in English and stood up, walking up to the front.

From the first beat, Jennie recognized the track immediately and she knew that it would be tricky. Lalisa had picked Lady Gaga's _The Fame_. If you were an amateur, you could easily breathe in the wrong spaces and run out of air for the following lines. Surprisingly, Lisa was doing really well while doing a lot of cocky hand gestures, as if she was in character and couldn't stop her body from dancing in some way. Jennie found that sweet.

"Congratulations!" Jennie commented in Korean when Lalisa came back after receiving her feedback. "I was very impressed."

"Gamsa!" Then Lalisa switched back to English, "I wanna be as good as Lady Gaga someday, her music is always so unique and fun. Then, I'll become better."

Jennie smiled, those were some big ambitions, but really good ones to have. "I believe in you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a fanfic of Jennie and Lisa's story from day 1. I normally enjoy fanfics based on the real universe more than alternative ones, so this is my fictional version of the truth. I cannot help but feel weird about shipping two non-fictional characters, but it's impossible to deny their chemistry. Who wouldn't fall for these silly girls?
> 
> Side note: I'm a newish fan who recently got obsessed with the girls' lives thanks to funny YouTube videos. I'm sorry if I make any mistake regarding Korean culture, I swear I've done as much research as I could. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy this story and happy BLACKPINK anniversary!


	2. Mental Health Days

The next three weeks were spent in a similar way; dancing, singing, krumping, learning Korean, and having conversations with Jennie, or at least trying to. When Lalisa was sure Jennie would be comfortable, she had asked her why everyone in their group seemed upset around each other. That was when Jennie told her the story behind PINKPUNK, the rebellious girl group she had created with other eight members.

The concept for the group had been approved by YG Entertainment. Practices had gone smoothly all the way, but there was a huge problem. The unbalance between the members' scores in their monthly evaluations. Some did good at dancing, others at singing, but it was never enough in both areas. In Jennie's case, she had no trouble in rapping, but when it came to dancing, she usually had to practice extra hours to catch up with the better dancers.

Unfortunately, on last month's evaluation, three members of PINKPUNK had been eliminated for good. It had shaken everyone to the core, it had been exactly the cheery, light-hearted members of the group. It both frustrated and scared Jennie, they had all worked so hard. Since then, the training remained to feel draining, but seeing them go just made Jennie's mind ring the words, _"I don't wanna go home, I don't wanna go home"_ over and over.

"Is PINKPUNK still on?" Lalisa had asked shyly in English.

They were sitting on the dance studio's floor. They had stayed after the lesson to perfect their moves, at least Jennie was. She thought Lalisa was just making an excuse to keep dancing, or maybe... just maybe she stayed with her to not leave her alone. "No one has really talked about it since some members left... But I suppose if the new members work, for sure."

"Then let's save PINKPUNK!" Lalisa said, standing up and offering Jennie her hand.

Jennie looked up at her. _Saving PINKPUNK?_ In Jennie's mind, it seemed hopeless. She had even considered debuting as a solo artist at this point, working with others was just too emotionally challenging, getting attached for them to suddenly leave... Jennie didn't want to feel that again, she wanted all her friends to succeed.

Somehow, Lalisa's words had awoken a spark inside her, one Jennie hadn't felt since she started out as a trainee. This Thai girl understood how much PINKPUNK meant to her even when she just found out about it. She made Jennie believe like she would put all the effort in the world to make it happen. To make them debut. _Together_.

Jennie took Lalisa's hand and stood up as well. "Let's save PINKPUNK."

* * *

A week before their evaluations, Jennie had made this habit of skipping classes the entire day, her excuse was that she had bad cramps during her period since that came up monthly as well. Nobody could really argue it unless they wanted to sound rude as fuck. She called the tradition "National Mental Health Day" because otherwise, she would go insane. They had to go to classes every single day, they weren't even free during the weekends. This time, Jennie decided to invite Lalisa, who didn't hesitate to accept her offer. Today Jennie was showing Lalisa around Seoul since the Thai girl never really had time to explore since she landed, busy with practice, and worrying about her first monthly evaluation on Friday. They needed to catch a break from the endless hard work, clear their minds. Plus, YG Entertainment practically fed them crumbs as a balanced meal and Lalisa's tummy wasn't content with that. Jennie had told her that it was weird to get used to, even while Jennie already ate like a bird.

"Girls have cravings, YG!" Jennie had exclaimed on another late night at the studio.

Lalisa waited for Jennie on a park two blocks away from the academy. It's not like Lalisa could get around much further than that without getting lost. She had been sitting on a bench for no more than twenty seconds and she was already getting bored. That is why she was always the one to be late.

She looked around and there really wasn't anyone in view, so she stood up and approached the kids' playground. She sat on the swings and started reaching tall heights.

"Don't start flying all of the sudden," a girl's voice said in English.

Lalisa slowed down a little and then jumped off the swings.

"Lalisa! Be careful!" The worried girl ran up to her.

"I'm fine, Jennie," Lalisa answered in Korean. "I've done it a thousand times," she switched to English.

"Still, people twist their ankles doing that."

Lalisa grinned, still fascinated by Jennie's beautiful New Zealand accent.

"Why are you smiling?" Jennie asked, annoyed that she wasn't being taken seriously.

"Nothing," Lalisa answered innocently. "I'm just happy we can talk freely."

"Me too." Jennie smirked. "But don't think you're not learning any Korean today."

"Oh, honey, I expect to."

Jennie blushed at the sudden pet name. Maybe she should tell her only married couples use "Honey" in Korea, but at the same time, Lalisa had sounded so sassy Jennie didn't want to pop her bubble. "First phrase, Hongdae gaja!"

"Hongdae gaja..." Lalisa repeated. "Oh... oh! Yesss, Hongdae gaja!" she shouted excitedly. "Lead the way, gaideu Jennie!"

Lalisa interlaced their arms together and they walked to Hongdae just so the Thai girl could get familiar with the streets near their training area. The Thai girl took mental notes of all the food places that looked delicious, markets, and shopping malls for when she needed retail therapy. She'd been depending on a single 7-Eleven convenience store for survival.

As they made their way to the area, Jennie couldn't help but stare at Lalisa by her side. She was wearing light blue ripped jeans, a white crop top with a green plaid shirt, and a beige hat. It was an understatement that the Thai girl would fit in with the Hongdae crowd. Lalisa was taking everything in and her face glowed beautifully in the afternoon's daylight. Jennie didn't understand it much, but Lalisa's childish smile seemed to light up her surroundings.

"Jennie!" Lalisa suddenly shouted when they'd arrived.

"Yeah?"

Lalisa pointed repeatedly at a street food cart selling chicken skewers. "I want to try that!"

Jennie smirked. "Alright, but you'll have to order it."

Lalisa pouted like a child at first, but then she put her game face on. "Okay, so what do I say?"

* * *

"Dalg kkochi du gaejuseyo," Lalisa said to the seller and Jennie smiled proudly. After three repetitions and explaining the meaning of the words, Lalisa got it right.

Jennie paid for them since Lalisa had done a great job.

"This is so good!" the Thai girl exclaimed after the first bite.

"It's one of my favorite snacks." Jennie led them to the main Hongdae area as they munched on the chicken skewers. Shortly, live music began to consume them and colorful paintings by local artists were seen everywhere.

"Whoa..." Lalisa breathed out.

"Welcome to Hongdae!"

Lalisa had to stop walking to process everything she was feeling. But Lisa being Lisa, it only lasted for a second. She grabbed Jennie's hand and ran up to see the live performance by an alternative indie rock band. "So cool!"

Jennie giggled when the Thai girl started to jump and dance to the rhythm. Since Lalisa was still holding her hand, Jennie couldn't help but join her. Maybe the two were too excited for the people who were just chilling and enjoying the music, but everyone quickly picked up their energy. The band seemed to have noticed, so the vocalist instructed the members to showcase their talent. A playful exchange between the guitarist and the bassist took place, and everyone cheered for them. Soon, the vocalist called the drummer and she showed off as well. Finally, they decided to get back on track with the song and finish their set.

Lalisa grinned. "That was so fun!"

"Wait, stay there." Jennie out a film camera from her purse. "Can I?"

"Yeah!" Lalisa began to pose. She crossed one arm and rested the other on it to simultaneously grab the tip of the hat.

Jennie loved the lighting for the photograph. The sun was close to hiding, so half of Lalisa's face was illuminated with orange. In the background, you could see the remaining sun rays passing through the tree leaves. Lalisa's mouth was half-open, catching her breath at the vulnerability of having your picture taken. Truly memorable. "Beautiful."

"Oh... thanks." Lalisa hoped the shadows hid her blush.

"Look." Jennie showed her the photo through the camera's digital display.

"Wow, yeah. Beautiful." Lalisa nodded. "Do you want me to take one of you?"

"Sure." Jennie stood back and put on her poker face, looking like a supermodel.

"You are breathtaking," Lalisa mumbled out and smiled.

It was Jennie's turn to blush, but she quickly took the camera back and asked a stranger to take a few pictures of them together. Lalisa quickly posed and she put her arm around Jennie.

"Gamsa," Jennie told the kind stranger, who looked astonished and sort of confused by the Korean girl's pace.

Lalisa and Jennie stared at each other for a moment after he left and then they burst into laughter.

"Let's keep looking around," Jennie said.

Lalisa followed her and they viewed a few paintings from the street artists. Each one had such a different and unique style. Some of them were landscapes, others abstract people and well, the rest, Lalisa wouldn't be able to describe.

"I wish I could buy all of them," Laisa whined.

"You'd be broke."

"I mean, yes. But I really wanna support them."

"Just buy one, then"

"One?"

"One."

Jennie didn't know this about Lisa yet, but the Thai girl was obsessed with shopping. She might be even worse than Jennie. They took at least half an hour to decide on a single painting.

"How do I ask for the price?" Lalisa suddenly whispered in her ear.

"Eolma-eyo..." Jennie replied slowly.

"Eolma-eyo?" Lalisa asked out loud. The artist understood her and told her some number she didn't know, so Jennie had to tell her the price anyway.

After Lalisa had paid, they moved forward. "Let's go to Thailand one day," she blurted out. "I will teach you all the useful phrases."

"I would love that." Pause. "Wait, what are these useful phrases?" Considering Lalisa learned Korean puns on her second day here, she couldn't be trusted.

"My personal favorite is, _Mai mee tang ka_."

"And what does that mean?"

"I don't have any money."

Jennie chuckled. "How is that useful?"

"You never know if you're gonna get robbed!"

"What? Shut up!" Jennie said playfully, hitting her lightly on the shoulder.

Lalisa hit her back, giggling. "If I buy all the paintings, then _mai mee tang ka_ forever!"

"I don't even want to know when you've actually used that phrase." Jennie's belly hurt, but not only because of the laughter. "If I buy you dinner, will you stop being silly?"

"Yes, please," the Thai girl answered right away, looking at her with those grateful puppy eyes. If Lalisa had a tail, Jennie was sure it would be wagging non-stop.

"I'm guessing you still haven't eaten a proper Korean meal so far."

"Nope, just the food at YG's and 7-Eleven."

Jennie looked at her in disbelief. "Can't you cook?"

"I mean, my dad is a professional chef. I know the steps. I just... suck very much at executing them."

"Oh god... How did you plan to live in Korea by yourself?"

"I didn't, clearly. I've been figuring out everything as I go. When I got the call from YG, I couldn't believe it. Like, _me?_ Then I had to convinced my parents to let me move here, saying I would be fine on my own. Two months later, I was out of Thailand."

"Hold on, we're here." Jennie led Lalisa into the restaurant to continue their conversation indoors. The place was nothing fancy, but it had a warm atmosphere to it, which was the reason why Jennie ate here every time she was in Hongdae. Having a cute dumbass with her wouldn't stop her tradition. They found a table and sat in front of each other.

"So what do you recommend chef Jennie?"

"Hmm." The Korean girl glanced at the menu. "Do you like spicy food?"

"Are you kidding? I love it!"

Jennie smiled. "Then you and Korean food are gonna get along pretty well." She noticed that her companion was shivering a little due to the cold Spring wind outside. "Would you like to try soup?"

Lalisa smiled back. "That sounds lovely."

"Alright." Jennie called the waiter and ordered for Lisa. When he left, she stared at her. "So... how embarrassing is it to be the daughter of a chef and suck at cooking?"

"Please, don't. I feel so bad about it myself already. But I swear to you, Kim Jennie, that one day I'll cook an edible meal for you."

"The way you said that makes me scared to try it."

"You're supposed to say, _I'll eat anything you make just because you made it, honey_."

"Hell no. I'm not your boyfriend."

Lalisa had her mouth agape at Jennie's response. She was about to say something, but the waiter brought their dishes. Jennie told him that the soup was for Lalisa while Jennie had ordered Japchae, which was stir-fried noodles.

"So that soup is called Gamja-tang. It's made out of a pig's spine with potatoes, cellophane noodles, dried radish greens, perilla leaves, green onions, hot peppers, and sesame seeds."

"It smells so good." Lalisa couldn't wait. "And damn, it tastes like heaven. I think this might be my new favorite food ever."

"For real?"

"Well, at least from Korean food. I'm still a biased Thai, sorry."

"This is the only Korean meal you've ever had!"

Lalisa suddenly grabbed a fork on the table and took a bite out of Jennie's Japchae. "Hmm, this is good too. But it seems that my favorite Korean food is still Gamja-tang. What a pity."

Jennie was surprised by the girl's bold actions. Lalisa didn't even ask for her permission... Jennie felt like Mio from _K-On!_ when Mugi suddenly steals the strawberry of her cake. Everyone knows the strawberry is the heart of the cake. "Don't disrespect your elders."

"What are you? Forty?"

"No, you're just five," Jennie retorted. Lalisa really wanted to play this game, huh?

"Five out of five stars," Lalisa said happily, clearly proud of herself. She doesn't know why, but she loved teasing Jennie. Maybe Lalisa just kept wanting to hear more of Jennie's beautiful accent.

Jennie rolled her eyes and began eating what was left of her Japchae.

Lalisa decided to stop pushing the Korean girl since she'd won the banter battle and continued eating as well. While it had been a comfortable silence, once they'd finished eating, Jennie had just asked for the check. Lalisa was used to talking a bunch during and after a meal, so it felt extremely weird to just leave.

"I guess I can't take you to Hongdae without seeing the market," Jennie said, sighing. "Just don't take too long buying things."

"A market? Oh my, yes!" Lalisa said excitedly, regardless of her insecurities and Jennie's dismissive tone.

They looked around for a little while. The market was huge and there were too many things Lalisa wanted, but she felt uneasy without knowing if she could joke around with Jennie right now. The Thai girl noticed that Jennie kept looking at handcrafted items, but wasn't buying any of them. Maybe she couldn't because she paid for dinner? Feeling bad, Lalisa browsed through the things Jennie had been checking out a minute ago and found the prettiest bracelet in the world for the pretty girl accompanying her.

"Eolma-eyo?" Lalisa asked the seller. She wasn't sure what they'd said, but she pulled out ₩30,000 and hoped that was enough to cover it. It seemed like it, considering she got change.

Lalisa looked around a bit more in other shops, bought a couple of things for herself, and then returned to Jennie. The Thai girl gave her a small box and received a look of confusion. "Sorry for stealing some of your noddles even after you invited me my favorite (Korean) food."

"Weren't you all _mai mee tang ka_ before?" Jennie asked as she started opening the box.

"Oh, so you remember the words of wisdom. I see you are a lady of culture. The more reason you deserve this beautiful bracelet." Lalisa smiled at Jennie's reaction.

"How did you know I wanted this?" the Korean girl gasped.

"Just a lucky guess."

"Daedanhi gamsahabnida, Lisa," Jennie said.

Lalisa blushed. "I think that's the first time someone calls me Lisa."

"Really? Do you not like it?"

"No, I love it. It's perfect."

After that, they walked a little more. Lalisa wasn't sure where Jennie was taking her, but she trusted her.

"So as you saw earlier, Hongdae represents the freedom of youthful art. We are currently on Hongdae's Picasso Street, people here paint on the walls to express themselves. This is one of my favorite places."

"It's beautiful," Lisa breathed out, not really knowing how else to describe her surroundings. There were a bunch of colorful murals and graffitis through each alleyway.

"I love taking pictures here," Jennie commented as the Thai girl looked around.

"I can see why." Lisa turned to her and smiled. "Need a model?"

"Nah, I have myself." Jennie winked, but then burst out laughing.

Lisa laughed too. The Korean girl's sassiness was the best.

"Well, I actually _do_ need a model. It's pretty hard trying to take pictures of myself with just a tripod."

"Thought asking strangers for pictures was your thing?"

"God no," Jennie denied instantly. "They've got no sense of composition!"

"Alright, that's fair." Lalisa stood behind a mural. "Ready?"

"Born ready."

After taking an absurd amount of photos of each other, they started heading back to their dorms at YG. Somehow, the walk back had felt faster. Maybe it had been the refreshing air of Spring, or maybe just Jennie's company. The Korean girl had mentioned other cool places they could visit together in their free time and Lisa had been gasping and nodding excitedly. This country sure sounded fun with Jennie. "I'm absolutely tired," Lisa said, yawning.

"Me too."

Lisa took Jennie to her room. "Thank you for showing me Hongdae. I'll never forget about today."

"It was my pleasure." Jennie smiled sleepily at her.

"Annyeonghi jumuseyo," Lisa said.

Jennie still found Lisa's Korean very cute, so she patted her head just like the day they'd met. She wished her goodnight as well and then went to bed, falling asleep with ease for the first time in eight months.


	3. Excitement in Relief

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Besides being a writer, musician, and photographer, I'm also a video editor. Yesterday I spend like 8 hours waiting for a video to render, so in the meantime I watched like 10 blackpink VLives. In one, Lisa mentions how they had evaluations on Fridays and then she skipped the next day, so I changed a paragraph from the last chapter. I also just watched Blackpink in NYC/Paris and Jennie says how she never took a day off, but for fanfic purposes, we'll let that one slide this time, haha. Enjoy!

To say she was really, really nervous was an understatement. Lisa knew that during her performance she would be fine, but presenting herself in Korean and talking to the judges? No way. Jennie had made her rehearse yesterday for evaluation day nonstop after Lisa had shared her worries with her. The Korean girl also told her how the evaluations normally go. She would sing and dance by herself and get graded based on that from A to C, A being the highest and C lowest. But there was also a full performance in the end with the whole group, in this case, a weird version of PINKPUNK.

The past few weeks, Jennie had pushed the other members to improve with Lisa's help, hopefully that had motivated them enough to be their best today. But honestly, the current PINKPUNK didn't seem like a unit, it was obviously because of the lack of chemistry with each other. Unfortunately, the Thai girl couldn't really talk to them because of the language barrier.

Since Lalisa had her dancing covered, she'd asked Jennie for more singing advice. Dancing and singing at the same time was definitely tricky, but not impossible. Likewise, Jennie had asked her for pointers on her dancing. They had endlessly worked past training hours and yes, it had been a few tough weeks, but Lisa felt ready. She would give it her all.

"Good morning, please introduce yourself," one of the judges said to her in Korean.

Deep breath. _Everything's okay. I can do this. I can do it perfectly_.

"Good morning. I'm Lalisa Manoban from Thailand. It's a pleasure to be with all of you here today." Lisa was able to glance at Jennie for a second. They were currently in the main practice room. Fellow trainees were sitting on the side of the room while the judges were at the front. Jennie had nodded at her, meaning Lisa was doing good.

"Hello, Lalisa. Would you rather sing or dance first?"

"Dance."

"What are you dancing today?"

" _What's Your Name?_ by 4MINUTE." Lalisa waited for her queue and soon her body had a mind of its own. The choreography was really playful, she was having the time of her life. It didn't even hit her when the song was over.

"Your dancing was on point," the judge's voice brought her back to reality. "Your timing was accurate and you've got a great sense of rhythm. I have nothing left to say but congratulations and I can't wait to see more of your dancing in the future."

 _Damn_ , those were a lot of words. Not to mention two other judges said a bunch of things too. Jennie would have to translate it all for her later, so Lisa just nodded in acknowledgment. The Thai girl just wanted to dance first to lose her nerves and not mess up the following performance.

"And now, what are you going to sing for us?" another judge asked.

" _Poker Face_ by Lady Gaga." Three. Two. One. Lalisa started right away. This song was really fun to sing and it genuinely made her happy. Jennie was fangirling in the background over Lisa's hand gestures and movements. The Thai girl truly had the artist aura already. Lisa was a fast learner, she remembered everything Jennie had taught her, both singing and Korean.

"Your vocals are well-polished for your first performance. The song is a perfect fit for your personality and style. We expect you to aim higher next time."

"Your English pronunciation is very good, you must listen to a lot of Western artists. Singing in a comfortable range always leaves space to give this cover a part of yourself. Feel free to change things up here and there in your next song choice. I'll look forward to it."

Lalisa thanked them and ran up to the seat beside Jennie. "Was I good?" she asked shyly in English.

Jennie grinned brightly and hugged her. "You were fantastic, Lisa," she whispered in her ear. The Thai girl's body was a bit warm and sweaty from her earlier performance, but right at that moment, Jennie hadn't care.

Lalisa couldn't help but smile from cheek to cheek. "I couldn't have done it without you."

Jennie wasn't quite sure she believed that. Lisa was like an AI machine, she could do anything she set her mind to.

Jennie's turn came shortly after. She was used to the evaluations by now since it was her eighth month here. That didn't make them any less stressing though.

She decided to sing first, performing _What's Your Name?_ by Rihanna, featuring Drake. It included some rap at the beginning and cool vocal melodies for the rest of the song. Fortunately for her, the notes only went up on the bridge. While Jennie could sing on key, she would rather stick with rapping because she enjoyed the dynamics more.

The judges had loved her singing, which left her relieved for her dance of Girls' Generation's _Run Devil Run_. The dance wasn't really complex, but for that very reason, Jennie had to perform it perfectly. Lisa had been an amazing mentor, Jennie was surprised how the Thai girl had learned the dance accurately after watching the choreography video twice.

_"Damn, Lisa, do you have photographic memory or something?" Jennie had asked her._

_"Would I suck at maths if I did?" Then Lisa had smirked. "Rhythm is my sixth sense!"_

Jennie breathed out. She hadn't made mistakes. She was sure.

"Jennie, your dancing has come a long way. I hope to keep seeing you improve," one of the judges had said.

 _Wow_ , Jennie believed this was the first time they hadn't given her any negative feedback. Lisa really was Jennie's lucky charm.

When the Korean girl returned to her seat, Jennie kissed Lisa on the cheek. Yes, she was _that_ happy.

Lisa was taken aback, trying to deal with her fluttering emotions with giggles. "I'm guessing they loved it," Lisa commented in Korean.

"Thanks to you." Jennie grinned. "This has been my best evaluation so far!"

"I'm so glad to hear that!"

"Let's kill it at the group dance!"

"Umm..." Lalisa trailed off, not really understanding what she was saying in Korean.

"Geulub daenseu," Jennie said some of the words again but slowly. _Group dance_. "Choeseon-eul dahabsida," she changed her original sentence. "Let's do our best" is an expression Lisa might know, saying something like "kill it" probably wouldn't translate well in other languages other than English, unless she actually planned a murder.

"Geulub daenseueseo choeseon-eul dahabsida!" Lalisa repeated.

Jennie nodded, silently praising her. They stayed in their own little world until it was time to dance as PINKPUNK. The song they had chosen to perform was "Again & Again" by 2PM, which was energetic and required a lot of synchronization from whoever wasn't singing.

Vocal-wise, Jennie should be fine because she picked the longer rap section. Meanwhile, Lisa just learned one of the choruses since they were repeated multiple times. No one minded since she didn't know Korean and she was honestly the best dancer out of the nine members, not to mention she was also bothering to teach everyone their individual part.

Lisa doesn't really have much memory of the performance, but she hoped PINKPUNK did well after so many hours of practice. As far as Jennie knew, she had been in perfect sync with Lisa. That's what had mattered to her since Lisa was gonna be the one who stood out the most in dance, her expressions and strength perfectly defined.

"I think this has been the best PINKPUNK performance to date," one of the judges had said. "Most members were amazing, it will reflect in your scores. Likewise for the ones who had trouble."

 _Maybe Lisa isn't just my lucky charm_ , Jennie had thought. In this case, it was more than acceptable.

After hearing more of the judges' feedback, everyone went back to their seats. It was time to hear everyone's results. Lisa felt Jennie's hand on hers. Was Jennie always this touchy? Either way, Lisa didn't mind. She also needed some physical reaffirmation that they would be okay.

Jennie's name came up first, making her grip Lisa's hand. "Dance: A, vocals: A, and group performance: A. Congratulations."

Jennie was tearing up. These past eight months suddenly felt worth it for some reason. She'd previously felt on a limbo where she was a ball of stress having to come up with dances and songs to perform. Jennie hadn't known if she could endure this routine for much longer, but dammit, she had a dream. She was gonna make it happen.

Jennie was brought back to reality when Lisa wiped some sweat and tears off her face with a towel she had in her bag. "Thanks," she mumbled.

A few names later, it was Lisa's turn to hear her scores. With no doubt, she got three As as well. She smiled widely at Jennie and raised her arms, not even trying to hide her excitement in relief. But that was just Lisa being Lisa. "I don't think I've ever done this good at school," the Thai girl squealed in English.

"You really have no shame, huh," Jennie commented, but who was she trying to trick? Her smile was just as big.

* * *

Since it had been an evaluation day, they had the rest of the day to do whatever they wanted. Jennie and Lisa were on their way back to the dorms to change into comfy clothes. The dance outfits had been pretty while it'd lasted.

"I should catch up on schoolwork," Jennie said.

"You still have school?"

"You _don't?"_

"Um..." Lisa rubbed the back of her neck. "Well, it's not like I'd understand anything. At the moment, I'm just learning intermediate English and basic Korean."

"At least that makes sense, sort of." Jennie looked up, as if trying to remember something. "I think we'll be graduating earlier anyway. The courses are more intense, so we can finish quicker."

"Oh, really? Nice!" Lisa exclaimed. "You'll have to help me with math though."

"Yeah, yeah."

"But for real, we should go out and celebrate our scores!"

"I mean, you do realize that tomorrow it will start over, right?" Jennie didn't mean to pop her bubble, but it was the truth. It was one thing after another, Jennie wasn't even sure how she was keeping track of everything.

"That's why we totally should!" Lisa insisted. "It will start over tomorrow, but we still have today."

Jennie wasn't sure how she should respond to that. In a way, Lisa was right. It wouldn't matter if they'd spend a night doing nonsense because they would be obliged to continue the next day. Plus, Jennie didn't just want to be a K-Pop idol, she was more than that. She had something to say to the world. Jennie refused to let her teenage years be about the frustration she constantly felt, she wanted to look back on the good memories she made in her journey.

"Alright," Jennie said once they'd reached her dorm. "Let's celebrate."

Lisa squealed and grabbed Jennie's hands, making them wave from side to side for a victory dance. The Korean girl just laughed. Spending time with Lisa was definitely what made her day lately and definitely the only thing keeping her sane.

* * *

"So where are we going, Miss Manoban?"

"You'll see," the Thai girl teased. "Hope you're ready to get wasted."

Jennie looked horrified.

"I'm obviously kidding," Lisa snickered. "But you'll have to get us there."

Jennie rolled her eyes, _Of course_. Somehow, they had ended up at Magic Island, a popular amusement park in Seoul which was connected to the inner amusement park Lotte World. The Korean girl had a faint memory of being here when she was younger, but she couldn't really recall. "I'm gonna let you know in advance I have motion sickness, so let's take it easy."

"No problem." Lisa took her hand and started heading towards the tallest attraction. "I wanna go here!"

"Holy crap," Jennie gasped. _Gyro Drop_ was at least 70 meters tall. Thank the K-Pop Gods that she wasn't afraid of heights. Still, going that far up while spinning to only be dropped once they reached the very top wasn't that appealing. But Lisa was smiling. She was prettier when she smiled. Jennie didn't even realize that they were the first ones on the line until they were instructed to sit. "Huh?"

"This is gonna be fun!" Lisa yelled.

Once all the security measures were taken, they started heading up slowly. The spinning wasn't quick either. Glancing at her feet, Jennie didn't know how to feel. She was glad that this wasn't as intense as she thought it'd be but also, this whole buildup just made her want to skip to the exciting part.

"Wow, Jennie!" Lisa exclaimed.

Jennie looked up and was instantly astonished. The view from up here was absolutely beautiful. You could see the whole amusement park, Lotte World, and might as well say the rest of Seoul. Maybe this wasn't too bad after all.

But she had spoken too soon.

Lisa took out her cellphone to take a picture.

Panicking, Jennie let go of one of the security bars and put her hand on top of Lisa's. "What are you doing? It might fall off!" Jennie didn't know if she was actually helping, considering she was shaking, but Lisa's hand felt warm and firm in comparison.

"Hey, it's okay," Lisa breathed out, her head now a few inches away from her. "I'm okay." How did this girl sound so mature while doing something so foolish?

Still, Jennie didn't pull away. "You're insa—"

 _Swoosh_.

The platform they'd been sitting on dropped out of nowhere. Jennie's grasp became stronger and she screamed. Lisa was screaming too, but not out of fear or surprise. She was having fun. She was absolutely loving it. Sometimes Jennie was convinced that Lisa was a child.

When they'd reached the bottom, Lisa started laughing. "I'm so glad to be here with you!"

The security bars lifted up, but Jennie remained on her seat. If she had to use one word to describe Lisa right now, she'd say... _Youthful_.

"Let's go to the next ride!" Lisa pulled her up, stuffing her cellphone in her pocket. Walking out, Lisa looked at her worriedly. "Did you not like it?"

"Nononono," Jennie reassured, realizing how weird it might be to get lost in thought while hanging out with someone.

"Is it the motion sickness?"

"No, not yet. Just..." Jennie trailed off. "Don't do something stupid like that again."

"Sorry." Lisa leaned her head on Jennie's shoulder, pouting. "The ride wasn't getting any faster, so I thought it'd be fine."

Jennie sighed softly. "Just let me know next time. I'll trust you." Regardless of the experience, Jennie felt some sort of thrill. It was only natural after getting off an attraction, but she was sure it was because of the Thai girl's actions.

Lisa gasped. "Oh, my god. Cool!"

"Um..." Jennie blinked twice. Lisa had stopped at the front of _Ghost House_ , a place that seemed creepy as hell. She vaguely remembered that the time she'd come here as a child, little Jennie had hated it, and since then, she had avoided anything remotely scary.

But the way Lisa's brown eyes pleaded expectantly...

Maybe now that Jennie's all grown up, she will knock it out of the park. "Alright. Let's do this."

"Eeee!" Lisa squealed excitedly and they approached the entrance.

It was so dark already, but Jennie decided to go in front of Lisa. You know, to keep her safe. They were surrounded by the sound of a wild wind a few seconds in. Jennie took a breath and pushed some cobwebs out of the way. "This isn't even scary." Suddenly, a tarantula fell down in front of her eyes. Jennie had to bite her finger to not scream out loud.

"Whoa, it looks so real," Lisa just murmured, touching it curiously. Her voice sounded a little timid due to the atmosphere, but nothing had really amazed her so far. This was only the beginning, after all.

Jennie just kept going through the hallway, without looking back. She heard a window open by force due to the wind and Jennie dug her nail in her palm. _Come on, Jennie, it's just a sound effect_ , the logical part of her brain told her. But it felt so, so real.

Jennie made a turn on the left and froze. A corpse-looking person was staring right back at her. In an instant, all her memories resurfaced.

 _An eight-year Jennie walked inside_ Ghost House _with her mother. Everything was dead silent, except for their steps. There was a dim light on, but it was only to allow them to see where they were going. Jennie wasn't sure why, but she entered one of the rooms by herself._

_"Jennie!" her mom called, running after her._

_The moment Jennie entered, thunder bolted, making her drop down to the floor. She didn't realize this was a bedroom until she noticed what was under the bed beside_ _her_ _. Or rather, who. Jennie shouted at the top of her lungs, balling her eyes out_.

Jennie didn't realize she was crying until she felt a hand on her shoulder, which made her jump. She turned around in a beat, only to see a confused and worried Lisa.

"Hey..." Lisa wiped Jennie's years with her thumbs. "I'm here."

Jennie's breaths were very agitated. Lisa's instinct was to pull her in, hold her close, and let her sob until everything quieted down.

It was so hard for Jennie to shut the world around her. _Boom, boom._ The sound of a heartbeat that wasn't her own. _Boom, boom._ Calm and steady. _Boom, boom. Boom, boom. Boom, boom._

"You get scared easily?"

Jennie heard a soft whisper and nodded. "It's more like _terrified..._ Loud noises. Jump scares. You name it."

"Let's get out of here." Without letting go, Lisa took them back to the entrance. She didn't pay attention to the weird looks she was receiving, her mind was focused on making Jennie feel better.

Lisa found an empty bench in the park and sat Jennie down. She kneeled in front of her and waited for the Korean girl to stop covering her wet eyes with her sleeve. "I'm so sorry... I just thought, _There's no better way to bond than_ _to escape_ _a haunted house_ _together_. But I just keep messing everything up."

"No, you don't," Jennie answered quickly, her throat a little dry from crying. "I actually wish I was more like you. You're really fun, while I'm probably just too hard to deal with..."

"That's not true!" Lisa yelled. She surprised herself, her mouth making a small 'O' shape. She lowered her voice a little, "You're the only person that I truly feel comfortable around. I'm not saying this because you're willing to break the rules and speak to me in English, though that's _totally_ badass. Even back in Thailand, the only time I felt like myself was when I was dancing. I never said or did what I wanted to because I thought it'd be dumb. But with you, I feel like there are no barriers."

Jennie was touched. "Wow, who knew Lalisa Manoban could be cheesy."

"Oh, shut it..."

"Wait, I'm not finished!" Jennie smiled, giggling. "With me, there are no barriers to be dumb?"

"Clearly." Lisa jokingly rolled her eyes, just happy to have made the Korean girl laugh.

"Hey, Lisa..." Jennie said softly. "I'm glad to be here with you too."


	4. A Dare Is A Dare

"That response was really delayed, you know. I really thought you'd rather be doing homework right now."

"Just eat what you've been served," Jennie answered.

To say that she had embarrassed herself big time today was an understatement. Why did she want to impress Lisa so much at the Ghost House? Lisa already said she thought Jennie was badass. So then, was Jennie unconsciously showing her vulnerable side to Lisa? Who does that?

Lisa stood up from the bench, noticing Jennie had color back in her skin. She offered her hand. "Since you're a scary cat, shall we go to the kids' rides?"

Jennie didn't take it. "You know I'm too old. You can have fun there though, they allow five-year-olds."

"But you can come with me!" Lisa insisted. "You are tall enough to look like you're five."

"Yeah?" Jennie stood up, holding her stare. While the height difference was extremely ridiculous between the two, Jennie felt equal to Lisa.

The Korean girl was determined to win this silly banter, so Lisa came up with an idea. "Okay, let's settle this with a game."

"I'm listening."

"We'll do a series of three dares. You can involve random people passing by or even the rides. It can be anything, except something that'll give you a heart attack."

"I like it." Jennie tilted her head to the side. "What about, when someone wins, they are allowed to ask a question and the other has to answer honestly?"

"That's perfect." Lisa smiled. "The loser will pay for lunch and won't be allowed to banter back for the rest of the day. They'll just have to take the sass."

"Okay, I'm in. Who starts?"

"Let's decide with rock paper scissors."

"In Korean, that's called...?"

"I have no idea."

"Gawibawibo."

"Oh my god, that sounds cute!" Lisa fangirled. Maybe it was because Jennie had said it. "Repeat."

Jennie rolled her eyes. "Gawibawibo."

"Aah!" Lisa squealed. "Can I take a video of you saying that?"

Jennie smacked her shoulder. "Rock paper scissors," she started the first round. Lisa was still in front of her, so she left her palm open when Jennie pulled Scissors. "One point for me."

"Wait, no!" Lisa pouted. "Can we play in Korean though? It's for my learning experience."

"Fine. Gawibawibo." When Jennie pulled paper, she realized Lisa had been recording her instead of focusing on the game. "It's decided. I challenge you first."

"So worth it."

"What are you gonna do with that video?"

"Um, what's the first dare?"

"Right." Okay, Jennie would let that one go for now. She just hoped that Lisa would keep the recording for herself. "I dare you to..." She looked around. "Go over to the souvenir store, grab any item and then tell the cashier: _Naneun don-i eobsda_. _Mulyolobad-eul su issnayo?_ "

"Ooh, what does that mean?"

"You'll realize once you say it."

"Okay..." Lisa trailed off. After Jennie taught her how to say the sentence properly, they entered the souvenir store. The Thai girl looked around and found a small yellow teddy bear. She took it and headed straight for the cashier, placing the doll on the table. Flashing her million-dollar smile, she said, "I don't have any money. Can I get it for free?" in Korean.

"Jeoldae andwae." The cashier shook her head.

"Naneun don-i eobsda," Lisa repeated. "Jebal, jebal!"

Jennie was dying of laughter. She'd been recording the whole thing as vengeance for Lisa's stunt earlier, but now she was starting to shake. She decided to stop and help the Thai girl, trying to regain composure. "I'm sorry, excuse my friend," she told the cashier.

Jennie put the teddy bear back in its place, grabbed Lisa's hand, and took her out of the souvenir shop. She started laughing again.

"Did you just pull a _mai mee tang ka_ on me?" Lisa gasped.

"Why did you keep begging? Kekekeke!"

"Because it was a dare!" Lisa defended. "It would have been epic if I actually got the teddy bear. It was adorable!"

"True." Jennie's laughter shortly died down.

"Guess that was a win, huh?"

"Yeah, you did it."

Lisa thought about her question carefully. "Have you ever dated anyone?"

Jennie had to chuckle. "Yeah, right."

"What?" the Thai girl gasped. "But you're so pretty and cool. You're pretty cool!"

"Guess that intimidates guys." Jennie wanted to change the subject. She didn't need to be reminded of her misery. She's had a lot of crushes in the past, but she's never had real feelings for anyone. Now that she was in YG, even if she did have feelings, she wouldn't be able to pursue it. While that sounded crazy, Jennie cared more about her dreams than anything and anyone else. "It's my turn now."

"Hell yeah, it is." Lisa smirked. She turned to her surroundings, trying to find the perfect subject for her idea. She spotted a boy around their age sitting by himself, playing some game on his phone. He seemed so lame, considering they were at an amusement park. "I dare you to act cute until he smiles."

Jennie looked disgusted. "Aegyo?"

"Yes!" Lisa clasped her hands together, nodding. She had heard the word before while seeing interviews of K-Pop artists. Lisa had tried doing aegyo in the past for fun, but she had the feeling Jennie would hate it. She'd been right.

The Korean girl pouted, already looking cute to Lisa. _So_ _that was Lisa's follow-up after her dating question? That was malicious_. Jennie took a deep breath. _But a dare is a dare_. She suddenly smiled in an abnormal way, it felt forced but appropriate. Right now, Jennie seemed more like a feline going to hunt her victims than a cute kitty.

Even when Jennie was in front of the boy, he didn't look up. "Excuse me," she said in a sweet tone. "Hey..."

He seemed annoyed that he was being interrupted, but he paused the game anyway. "What do you want?" he answered coldly.

"Can I sit here?" She motioned the space beside him.

He rolled his eyes, his fingers ready to restart the game. "Yes, is that all?"

 _Well, this guy was rude_. Normally, Jennie wouldn't put up with this bullshit, but a dare is a dare. She smiled. "No, I actually wanted to ask for your opinion."

"Opinion on what?"

"You see, my dream is to become an idol, and idols are good at acting cute and silly. But I don't know if I'm doing it properly." Jennie took a strand of her hair and twirled it on her finger.

"I'm sure you can ask any other stranger."

This was _the_ moment. Jennie parted her lips and put her pointer finger on the center of her cheek. "But I'm already talking to you..."

Instead of finding her behavior funny, he looked uncomfortable.

 _Imagine how I feel_ , Jennie thought. She decided she'd take a different approach this time. Jennie stood up and spun around, forming a heart shape with her arms when she finished. With a grin, she said enthusiastically, "Can you please smile because this is a dare and I hate this too?"

His eyebrows raised slightly, but he immediately reacted, as if it was a video game. He smiled and then waved her goodbye.

When Jennie returned to her friend, Lisa had her hand covering her mouth. Finally, she let out a squeal. "You are so cute!"

Jennie crouched on the floor. "I'm so embarrassed."

"What did you even tell him?" Lisa asked excitedly, jumping up and down.

Jennie covered her face with her knees. "That I want to be an idol, but I'm not sure how to aegyo, so I needed feedback."

"Ten out of ten, baby!" Lisa announced.

"Please stop." The Korean girl just wanted the ground to open up and swallow her.

"Come on." Lisa helped her up. "Question time."

That sparked Jennie's attention. "Why be an idol in Korea? You don't need more dance training."

"I'm not perfect, Jennie," Lisa stated, her voice so different from normal. Vulnerable. "Just like you here, I had a dance group in Thailand. We were really good, but we just weren't getting anywhere, at least not where I wanted. It was so easy for me to emphatize with PINKPUNK's story because I've been through it. Only now I'm doing something about it."

"So you auditioned for YG?"

"To be honest, I just did it to show off." Lisa laughed, adjusting the bucket hat on her head. "I didn't expect to actually win, there were other four thousand people participating, you know." Pause. "All I ever wanted was to be like the K-Pop idols on TV. They are completely flawless, I wanna shine like them. Even brighter."

"You've said something like that before."

"Yeah... I just wanna be the best I can be. I know I have it in me." Lisa gazed at her like a hypnotist. "Don't you ever think that you were born for something greater?"

Jennie felt chills down her spine. "I do."

Lisa grinned. "There you go. Now, time for round two."

Jennie was still processing their whole conversation, but she had thankfully already planned her next dare. Her feet took them to the busiest area of the park. There was some Korean hip-hop playing in the background. It was perfect. "I dare you to dance for money."

"Oh, god..." Lisa paced around for a second, but after mumbling a few words to herself, she was ready. She threw her bucket hat upside down on the floor and began dancing confidently. The beat was really easy to follow. Lisa wasn't that great at improvising dance moves, but she could adapt the ones she knew to the tempo of the song.

Jennie couldn't help but stare. Lisa was truly amazing when it came to dancing, it was her natural habitat. There was some sort of dissonance with the way she moved and the way she spoke. Her moves were sexy and strong, but her words were childish and warm, which made them very comforting. Jennie made a mental note to use that metaphor in the next song she writes.

Returning to reality, Jennie noticed the crowd of people around them, not to mention the amount of wons in Lisa's hat. The Thai girl winked at Jennie as the song ended. The crowd clapped at Lisa and she just bowed down in gratefulness. After that, they quickly dispersed and Lisa grabbed her hat. "Now I can buy the teddy bear!"

 _Yep. Definitely childish._ "Alright, alright." Jennie found a place to sit and Lisa sat beside her. "Ask anything."

"Cats or dogs?"

Jennie scoffed. "Dogs. I'm allergic to cats, but I think they're adorable."

"Oh really? For me it's cats. I have two in Thailand. Hunter and Taiga." Lisa scrolled through her cellphone and found a picture of her babies. If there was something Lisa wanted from her hometown, it was them.

"Aww, they're so cute!"

"I know right? I really, really miss them, but it's fine."

Jennie raised an eyebrow. "It is?"

"You remind me of my cats."

"That's funny, I was just thinking how well you resemble a puppy."

"I'm serious!"

"Me too!"

"Okay, okay." Lisa nodded. There was no point of indulging in another banter. They were doing these dares to decide who was the best at them.

"So what's next?" the Korean girl asked.

"I dare you to kiss me."

Jennie's eyes widened. If she had been drinking something, it would definitely be all over the floor now. _What the hell?_ Did Lisa ask this to make Jennie lose? There was no way Jennie was losing. No freaking way. Jennie grabbed Lisa's chin and leaned in, scaring her slightly. Lisa closed her eyes and suddenly felt warmth on her skin for three seconds.

Jennie pulled away and Lisa remained still for a moment. "Oh, sorry, I got lipstick on your cheek."

"Don't worry," she answered dismissively. Lisa hadn't expected Jennie to do it. She had only dared to ask because she couldn't stop thinking about how she felt when Jennie first did it after their evaluation. This time hadn't been any different, Lisa felt drunk inside. "Yo, let's take a selfie." She got her phone ready to shoot. _Wow, the lipstick stain is really marked_. "Um..." Lisa turned to Jennie. "What do you say in Korean when you take a picture? _Cheese?_ "

Jennie shook her head. "That's too American."

"Then what is it?" The Thai girl pouted. "The day we took pictures in Hongdae you were speaking in English."

"Well, it's really simple. We just count from one to three!"

"Hana dul ses!" Instinctively, Jennie posed and Lisa followed, taking the picture.

"Majseubnida!" _You know what? Let's congratulate Lisa for learning Korean_. Jennie kissed Lisa's cheek again, closing her eyes.

As expected, the Thai girl took another photo and made a surprised face, even putting her hand over her other cheek.

Jennie started giggling.

"You like kissing me?" Lisa asked, trying to sound cocky. But she felt very timid and her heart was beating so fast it might explode.

"I thought you liked being kissed?"

"Is that your question for completing the dare?" Lisa said quickly, trying to avoid answering.

"Nah." Jennie's last question had brought to light real insight on Lisa. She wanted to get to know her better, the things that made her who she is. "What are you most self-conscious about?"

"Right now? My hair," Lisa replied right away. "I wanna look girly!"

Jennie burst out laughing. "Oh, really?" Now _that_ was unexpected. Everything made sense now, why Lisa rocked the apple hairstyle during practice. Jennie reached out and patted Lisa's head, her fingers going through her short hair. "But I dig your cute boyish style."

"Don't say that." Lisa looked down, fidgeting with the bucket hat on her hands. "I regret it so much, I didn't expect to be in freaking YG when I cut it."

"I'm sure it will grow in no time." Jennie took off her blue hairband and put it on Lisa. "But for now..."

Lisa thought she might cry. _Come on, get it together_. The Thai girl placed her black bucket hat on Jennie. "For now."

The Korean girl smiled. While she didn't need the hat, it felt good to wear something of Lisa's. That girl could rock anything. Jennie wondered if she could too. "Ready for your dare?"

"Yeah."

Jennie stood up abruptly, pointing at Lisa. "I dare you to eat chips without making a sound."

"Huh?" Lisa whined. "Is that even possible?"

"Yup. I can do it." Jennie lifted her index finger up to her lips. "I used to eat during class."

Lisa gasped, getting up to point at Jennie accusingly. "Naughty!"

Jennie giggled, flipping her hair. "It was so funny, I swear the chance to be caught laughing was higher than being caught eating."

"Oh god..."

The Korean girl led Lisa to a stand where they sold snacks. Jennie picked cheese puffs since they disintegrated in your mouth and that made it easier to don't make noise. She doubted Lisa would succeed anyway. This was a talent, it required practice. "Moment of truth," she said, handing her the chips.

Lisa took them nervously and opened the bag. She grabbed one cheesy puff and put it in her mouth slowly. Jennie was looking at her eagerly. Lisa wasn't sure how she could pull this off. She couldn't just tell Jennie to turn around and throw the chip away. Lisa had the cheesy puff sitting on her tongue, so she tried to carefully push her tongue up until it would break. Unfortunately for her, that still made a sound, so she finished chewing bitterly.

"Noooo," Jennie said mockingly. "Did you just lose?"

"Bullshit!" Lisa defended, giving Jennie the bag. "You try it."

Jennie rolled her eyes and did as she was told. She put the cheesy puff inside her mouth. After little while, she began chewing without any noise whatsoever. "You had to wait for it to get wet, you ate it way too fast."

Lisa had her mouth hanging open. She'd just witnessed something cursed. "Hold up, hold up. Do it again."

Jennie ate more chips for Lisa and Lisa tried doing it herself again. The Thai girl was getting the hang of it. With more practice, she could be as good as Jennie. "You still lost though, so no question."

"You better mess up this round," Lisa said, still petty.

"I won't." Jennie winked.

"Well, I dare you to pretend to recognize someone you don't know until they believe they know you."

"Oh crap, that's hard."

"Wanna surrender?"

"That's hilarious." Jennie looked around. _Who would be a perfect candidate... Bingo_. She returned Lisa's hat. "Be right back."

Jennie approached an old lady sitting on a bench that was facing one of the rides. The woman seemed to be alone waiting for someone. "Grandma!" she tried, hoping whoever she was waiting for was a girl her age.

"Chu, is that you?"

 _What kind of name was that?_ "Yes, granny!"

"What are you doing here, sweetie? I'm here with your cousins!"

Jennie sat down, her heart beating fast. "I was nearby and they asked me to join them!" She felt so weird lying to her.

"Oh really? Why didn't they tell me so?"

"I don't know, I assumed they had."

"That's strange..." Grandma took a closer look at Jennie. "Are you skinnier?"

"Uh, yeah. I've been dancing lately."

"But I thought you were into singing?"

"I am!" Jennie claimed. "I'm into both these days."

"I see. You'll be great in the audition then!"

"Choo will do her best!" Jennie didn't know why she'd felt the need to singsong this like a child or why she did it in third person. But she hoped that'd fit the character.

The old lady patted her head, singsonging too, "That's my girl. I'm so proud."

"Thanks, granny." Jennie smiled. "I'm going to the bathroom. I'll catch up with you later."

"Okay, Chu. Don't take too long, your cousins should be coming back soon."

"Yeah, yeah." Jennie left, trying not to run like a felon. She found Lisa and grabbed her hand, walking away quickly. When she was sure she'd never see the old lady again, she stopped to catch her breath.

"Jennie Kim!" Lisa exclaimed. "You're evil!"

"You dared me to!" Jennie dropped down to the floor and hid her face.

Lisa sat next to her. "I didn't make you pick an old lady!"

"I know!"

Pause. "So... how did it go?"

Jennie took a deep breath. "I pretended to be one of her granddaughters, Chu. She got kind of suspicious, but then I got her to say that she was proud of me."

"Evil!"

"I know!"

Lisa wiped off the sweat on Jennie's forehead with the towel she always carried in her bag.

"I really hope that Chu passes the audition," Jennie mumbled in Korean and then looked at Lisa gratefully.

"So what's your final question?"

"How does it feel... to lose?" Jennie stuck out her tongue.

Lisa hit Jennie's shoulder playfully. "It feels like _mai mee tang ka!_ "

"And that'll never be a useful phrase!" Jennie grinned. Maybe she was childish as well.


	5. A Whole New World

"Ooh, what should I eat today?" Jennie provocatively said out loud, looking at the menu.

"Anything that won't literally make me go broke." Lisa smiled, she actually liked the idea of treating Jennie food. It was only fair after the Korean girl had paid for their dinner the other day, not to mention she had made Lisa earn extra money after dancing in public.

They were currently at one of the restaurants inside Lotte World. From what Lisa could see, the prices weren't too bad and she would be able to pay for the two.

"Are you gonna try more Korean dishes?" Jennie asked, finding that section on one of the pages.

Lisa nodded. "Any recommendations?"

"Hmm, how does beef bulgogi sound? It's really popular and people will just keep asking if you've tried it."

"What does bulgogi mean?"

Jennie took a pen from her purse, writing on a napkin. " _불 (bul)_ means fire and _고기 (gogi)_ meat," she explained.

"Fire meat? Such a badass name. I want it."

"Good," Jennie answered with a laugh. "We should definitely order Kimchi too, it's a side dish but it's tradition. We should've had it with dinner the other day."

So Lisa _was_ right, Jennie had run out of cash money when they went to Hongdae. "Okay, okay."

"Don't forget to order Mandu for me."

"I'm ordering?" Lisa asking in disbelief.

"Of course, you're treating me," Jennie said, sounding like a princess.

Well, Lisa was no prince and she definitely wasn't mentally prepared to order. "Wait, wait. So... igeo juseyo... bulgogi, kimchi, mandu?"

"Not quite. You're not specifying what you want with _igeo_." Jennie started writing on the napkin again, _Igeo = this_ and _juseyo = please_. " _Igeo_ is only useful if you're pointing at things, so just replace it with whatever you want and add _juseyo_ at the end."

"Oh, I see!" Lisa grabbed Jennie's pen and jotted down the words she was going to say, hoping it was right.

"Yeogiyo!" Jennie called the waiter.

He approached their table and asked what they wanted to order in Korean.

Lisa hadn't understood a thing, but Jennie's look encouraged her to talk. "Um... Bulgogi, kimchi, _mandujuseyo!_ "

"Masil geo eobs-euseyo?" he replied with a question and Lisa answered with a face of confusion.

"Drinks?" Jennie translated. "If you don't have enough money, I can pay."

"In that case, chocolate milk!"

Jennie stared at her bewilderedly, but she still ordered it for Lisa and got cold iced tea for herself. "Who drinks chocolate milk with meat?"

Lisa pinched her own cheeks. "Me!" she said cutely in a high pitch tone.

"That's so weird, is it common in Thailand?"

"It should be!" In other words, it was just Lisa being Lisa. "A lot of street vendors sell different types of milk drinks." She browsed through her phone gallery to show Jennie. "The one on the left is pink milk and the one on the right Thai milk tea."

"Oh wow, they actually look really good, I wanna try them!" Jennie exclaimed. "But it's still weird that you drink milk with meat."

"No, it's not!" Lisa defended, pouting. She wanted to say more, but losing the dare made her unable to tease Jennie back. Not that there was anything to tease her about right now. "Don't knock it until you try it."

"I think I'll pass." Jennie rested her chin on her hand, her elbow laying on their table.

"Your loss." Lisa gazed at Jennie for a moment. She still looked really cute, even without the hairband she'd let Lisa borrow to look girly. The Korean girl was wearing a light gray sweatshirt that read _Hasta la vista_ and high-waisted blue jeans, which made her look a little taller while using plain white sneakers. Lisa missed her black bucket hat on Jennie's head, it had made her look funny and adorable. Sadly, she gave it back to speak to the old lady. "You're really competitive, huh?"

Jennie smirked. "Can't say I don't aim for number one."

"I mean, same. But luck is just never on my side." Lisa sighed. "I keep challenging people and I always lose."

"Luck is such a silly concept," Jennie said in all honesty, comforting her a little. If you really wanted something, you had to make it happen. There was nothing else to it. While Jennie considered Lisa to be her lucky charm, that was based on the dancing skills she had worked for and her carefree behavior.

"Then the world is out to get me."

"I can't argue with that." Jennie smiled. "You literally challenged the wrong person, I'm the best at games. But who knows? Maybe you'll have more 'luck' challenging Koreans than your Thai friends."

"We'll see... when I'm able to talk to them," Lisa mumbled.

Jennie noticed the waiter arriving with their food, so she sat back to make space for her dumplings. Just the smell made her tummy growl.

"Yummy!" Lisa said, looking at the grilled bulgogi. But most importantly, her chocolate milk was here too.

"You know that was on the kids' category?" Jennie teased, reading her thoughts.

"Yeah, I'm a trendsetter." Lisa made hearts with her thumbs and index fingers. "Kids have good taste these days, amazing."

"No, they don't. They just haven't developed their taste buds yet."

"Pretty sure children have twice as many taste buds as grownups."

That peaked Jennie's attention. First, can we talk about how good Lisa's English is? She said she just knew the basics, yet she's so talkative and confident in her words. Sometimes Jennie's mother said that Jennie tended to be sassier in English and more reserved in Korean. She wondered if that was the Thai girl's case. Second, Lisa knew _anatomy?_ "I was referring more to babies like you."

Suddenly, Lisa started babbling like a toddler. "Help, Nini is being mean to me!"

Jennie blushed at the nickname. "Babies don't talk."

With that, Lisa pouted and decided to focus on her food instead, like a child. To emphasize her earlier point, she drank the chocolate milk first and smiled from cheek to cheek.

Jennie had wanted to keep pressing, but she was so hungry, she had to push that aside for now. Plus, Lisa looked so happy. After all, she still had the rest of the day to mess around with her.

* * *

"Are Koreans always quiet during meals?" Lisa asked after a few minutes.

"We tend to speak after the meal."

Lisa shrugged on her seat. "Then... when we went to Hongdae, why did we just leave the restaurant?"

"Oh, I just wanted to get to Picasso Street before it got really late. It could be dangerous, you know."

"That... makes sense. I thought you were mad or something. In Thailand, we are all very talkative during meals."

Jennie tilted her head. "Really? What other cultural differences have you noticed so far?"

"You guys use chopsticks for everything." Lisa laughed. "We just use spoons, chopsticks are only for ramen."

"Spoons for everything?" Jennie gasped, finding it completely weird. It wasn't like that in Korea or New Zealand.

"We also get forks, but only as the spoon's support, you know. No forks to eat."

"Damn." Jennie tried remembering if she'd ever seen Lisa use chopsticks. No real memory came to mind. Lisa used a spoon for her soup the first time they went out, which was normal in Korea.

"When I first ate at the YG cafeteria, I was a bit confused when I got chopsticks instead of a fork." Lisa laughed. "Everyone around me was using the spoon for the rice, but not for anything else. I had an existential crisis over whether I should just keep using the spoon or the chopsticks."

"I actually think I remember that."

_As always, Jennie sat with her group members for meals to discuss what they needed to go over for their following evaluation. When she saw Lisa grab her food and look around, she gestured her to come sit with them. They weren't allowed to speak to her in English, so they couldn't really have a conversation, but Jennie didn't want her to sit by herself. That would be too depressing._

_"Annyeong," Lisa said shyly and sat in front of Jennie._

_"Annyeonghaseyo," the rest of PINKPUNK mumbled, looking uncomfortable at first but then they continued chatting in Korean, ignoring Lisa._

_Jennie was listening and commenting whenever her opinion was necessary, but she wondered how they would deal with the Thai girl. Lack of communication could be the end of a group and they were already pretty broken. The thing was, Lisa was radiating with talent. Jennie just knew she would be able to follow their lead when it came to dance. She hadn't heard her sing yet, but Lisa just looked like the type who would be surprisingly good at it, even when she was quietly eating rice right now._

_Once Lisa finished, she pushed the empty bowl aside and looked at the main dish. She bit her lip for a few seconds, but then started eating with the same spoon she'd used for the rice. A few girls had looked at her funny, but Lisa thought it wouldn't feel right to use chopsticks, in the end always going with her gut feeling. What had happened to wanting to fit in and not wanting to draw attention? Well, that was over the second Coach Hee Jung had asked her to dance. She had gained the prettiest girl's attention._

"I was unsure of whether I should point the chopsticks at you, but you looked so cute while eating already." Jennie blushed, realizing what she'd just admitted. I guess since Lisa wasn't allowed to tease her anymore, Jennie didn't feel the need to put her guard up.

"Should I start using chopsticks?" Lisa asked shyly.

"Only if you want to. I'm not gonna judge you." Jennie smiled. "The rest of Korea will though."

Lisa had her mouth hanging open. "That makes me so happy with my life decisions, thank you, Jennie!"

"I'm glad." The Korean girl kept laughing as Lisa kept looking back and forth between her spoon and chopsticks.

Lisa pouted and grabbed the chopsticks, using them as a spoon for her bulgogi. "It feels unnatural."

"You'll get used to it. In New Zealand, you had to eat with a fork and a knife. Coming back to Korea and using chopsticks wasn't that strange though. I still had Asian food every now and then."

"Fork and knife? Wow..." Lisa looked up for a moment, thinking. "I guess my dad ate like that while I was growing up. He's from Switzerland."

"Ooh, that's cool. So he wasn't used to the culture when your parents had you?"

"Well... he's not my biological father, so he was with my mom after I was born."

Jennie nodded, understanding the situation. "It's very admirable that he raised you as his own."

"I couldn't have asked for a better father." Lisa smiled. "I think I'm very lucky. Thai men sound scary, like I've heard from my friends that their dads are very strict and don't let them say their honest opinions."

"That's awful." Jennie thought about her Korean friends. Sure, there was pressure to be your best, but it was nothing as harsh as that.

"I've never told anyone this because women aren't supposed to say these things, right? But I always hated it. My parents raised me to be free, so I was scolded a lot in school when I would say or do something opposite to the norm." Lisa drank some of her chocolate milk. She felt like she had complained too much, but the moment the words had come out, she'd felt relieved. "I've never really completely acted like other girls, like some of them would even crush on me. I was _that_ different, but I don't think being confident is just a guy quality. I think I can be pretty and sure of myself."

Jennie was staring at Lisa in awe. She has gone through a lot already, hasn't she? Jennie had been fortunate enough to go abroad and become independent, but dealing with the uptight Korean culture was still something new to Jennie as well. Obviously, she had grown in the country but just how you can grow into things, you can grow out of them. "You are, and you should be," Jennie finally answered. "No one deserves to feel less than they are."

"Right?" Lisa sighed in relief and smiled shyly. Opening up to Jennie... it had been the right choice. God, Lisa had been so nervous. If she ever said something like that in Thailand, she'd definitely get detention. "Also, teachers seem meaner in Korea."

"They are!" Jennie agreed. "Going from Korean to New Zealand education was such a crazy transition."

"I thought it was just because it's YG and I lack Korean, but they always have a dead look." Lisa suddenly mocked them with her facial expression. "They act as if they were better than us. I guess that's why everyone here has the need to prove themselves to someone."

"You can tell that much by looking?"

"It's not like I can say much to others." Lisa had more bites of her bulgogi. _Chopsticks, man. So weird_. "In my case, I guess it's like, since all girls were treated the same, I didn't get to stand out. Is that selfish? I don't know, it's just, boys always got preference, so girls had to support each other."

"I don't think wanting to stand out is a bad thing. You have something that should be admired and praised by others." Jennie nodded to herself. "Talent."

Lisa blushed. "You too."

They calmly finished their lunch and then Jennie called the waiter so they could pay.

"You know," Lisa suddenly said. "In Thailand, older people pay for the meal. Lucky you, I'm about breaking the norm." Then she gave the waiter her credit card to pay for everything, even when Jennie said she could pay for the drinks.

After getting up from their table, Jennie didn't get to say anything back to Lisa, because the younger girl jogged outside, the sun against her figure.

"Yo, Jennie!" Lisa was now a few steps ahead of her, turning back and pointing towards the sky.

"Yeah?" The Korean girl looked up. Lisa was gesturing at the big rollercoaster, Atlantis. The route went through the tall fairytale castle in the theme park and that's probably why Lisa wanted to get on it in the first place.

Lisa extended her hand towards Jennie. "I can show you the world..." she singsonged Aladdin's _A Whole New World_.

Jennie rolled her eyes, but she shouldn't be surprised. Of course Lisa would want to do this right after eating. Still, Jennie took Lisa's hand. "Okay." Why fight her worries anymore? _We are at Lotte fucking World, let's enjoy it_. After all, who knows if they'll ever be able to come back again during training.

Surprisingly, the line was moving really quickly and they caught seats on the first row. Jennie wasn't sure if that was a good thing, but Lisa's squeals made it seem like it was.

The staff took care of all the security measures and they were ready to go. All of the sudden, Lisa interlaced their arms together. Jennie glanced at her briefly before the cart started moving forward right away. Unlike most rides, this one didn't slowly build up the moment. Atlantis began the second the engine turned on.

Jennie instantly felt the thrill of the rush. The two of them yelled at the top of their lungs, their free arms up in the air. They went in and out of the castle, going through cave-like spaces and the outdoors surrounded by water. Halfway through, the cart slowed down to show them the creatures inside the castle. Shortly after, they were outside again on their way up, twenty meters above the ground.

Lisa glanced at Jennie once they'd reached the top. For a moment, time seemed to have stopped. Jennie's face was washed by the orange sun and the girl was smiling like a child. Lisa blinked to take a mental photograph before being dropped at a 72° angle. Before they knew it, they were back in a cave and their bodies were soaked with water by the time they saw light again.

Jennie giggled continuously, that had been her best experience so far. This is what she'd meant by wanting the exciting part right off the bat. Buildups were so overused.

"Jeongmal jaemi iss-eoss-eoyo!" Lisa shouted and the people behind her laughed.

Jennie was amazed by the sudden Korean from the Thai girl.

"I've been waiting to say that all day!" Lisa grinned.

* * *

After a couple of other rides, Jennie started to feel her motion sickness kick in, so they headed out of Lotte World. Outside, they ended up in the Songpa Naru Park. It was a circular area with a huge lake surrounding Magic Island. The trees were all green, just last month it had been cherry blossom season. Of course, Jennie had missed it due to practice and well, dancing and singing with Lisa. She hoped that they could see the cherry blossoms together next time.

"This park is so pretty!" Lisa exclaimed, walking ahead of her.

She had been carrying Jennie's things inside the backpack she'd always carry. She took out the camera and turned around, pointing at Jennie. "I see you."

"You see me." Jennie smiled and Lisa pressed the shutter button.

"It came out great!" Lisa commented. "The trees and the lights in the back blurred out nicely."

"Ooh, let me see." Jennie ran up to Lisa and she was right. She'd gotten the perfect focus on Jennie as well. The shape of the lens was circular, so naturally a beautiful bokeh blur was formed. "You're good at this, you know. You should get a professional camera too."

"I'll ask my parents for Christmas." Lisa made a peace sign. "For now, I'll use yours in exchange of becoming your personal photographer."

"That's more than fine by me." Jennie always loved taking photographs, but there was never anyone who would take good ones of her. Lisa had been in Korea for less than two months and so far she had taken at least 20 pictures worthy of being in her profile.

"Yay!" Lisa cheered and kept going, capturing some leaves falling to the lake.

It seemed like a tradition by now, but they stayed a while longer to take photos of each other under the night sky. Jennie hadn't realized how tired she was until she yawned and Lisa followed. Jennie tended to get exhausted easily, especially after moving around a lot. During practice, she had to take long breaks because of her motion sickness. The teachers and the agency were well aware of her condition, so it was alright. But sometimes that really frustrated Jennie, so she pushed herself a lot, not wanting to fall behind.

They took the train back to the dorms and Lisa decided to use Jennie's shoulder as a pillow during the one hour trip. With her head resting on the Thai girl, Jennie wished she could fall asleep that easily, but unfortunately she needed to be on a soft surface under dim lighting to even have a chance. This bus had bright lights and was a bit bumpy, the only soft surface being Lisa's slick hair.

By the time they'd arrived, it was around 7pm. It wasn't that difficult to wake Lisa up, but she had been quite disoriented at first. They really her dorm and she invited Jennie in. Unlike her dorm, Lisa's was made for one person only. Jennie had been sharing her room with a former PINKPUNK member before, but they are long gone by now. Honestly, she didn't care anymore. Jennie preferred being by herself.

The Thai girl's dorm didn't have any decorations yet, with the exception of the painting she had bought in Hongdae, which was currently hanging above the couch. Lisa put down her backpack and left Jennie's bag on the counter. Then, she sat down and her stomach growled loudly. "Is it dinner time already?"

"Yeah. Do you have any food?" Jennie asked, but went towards the fridge anyway. She opened it, only to find it almost empty. There was only a chocolate milk carton, instant ramen, and some sliced fruits. "What the hell?"

Lisa saw how Jennie worriedly rushed back to her. The Korean girl kneeled down in front of her and pinched Lisa's cheeks.

"Is this all you eat?"

"Uh, no. I just ran out of things..." Lisa excused quickly, surprised by the sudden touch and the remark on her bad eating habits. "But it's not like I have a lot to choose from. I don't understand anything on the packages."

That made some sense, I guess. Jennie stood up. "Let's go grocery shopping."

"Ooh, okay!" Lisa followed her lead, both of them forgetting how tired they had felt earlier.

"So what are we having for dinner? Hmm..." Jennie hummed, thinking out loud.

"What if I make us Thai sushi?" Lisa offered, making the Korean girl turn abruptly towards her.

"Kimbap? I thought you didn't know how to cook?"

Lisa shrugged. "I once helped my parents make it, it wasn't too hard."

"Alright..." Jennie said, still not convinced of Lisa's abilities. "So what do you need for Thai kimbap?"

They made a list on their way to the grocery store, and Jennie taught Lisa what a lot of the products and brands were, the Thai girl writing it all down on her notebook.

They safely returned to Lisa's dorm with a few bags and stored everything in her small kitchen, except for the things they would need.

"Yolisa, shall we start?" Jennie giggled at her own pun.

Lisa washed her hands and turned to Jennie. "Can you fry an omelet? Or eggs?"

"Yeah." Jennie got right to work while the other girl proceeded to set the seaweed on top of a cutting mat. "In coconut oil, right?"

Lisa nodded and then she looked inside one of her cabinets to grab a container. She opened the lid to check if there was any content left. "Thank god," she let out.

"What was that?"

"I still have Maggi!"

Jennie stopped what she was doing. "What is that?"

"It's like... um..." Lisa tried to remember how to say it in English. While she could have a conversation with you in the language, it's not like she was familiarised with all of the terms. Even while picking the food with Jennie, she had a bit of trouble connecting the dots. "Sauce, yeah. You can put it in pretty much anything, like noodles, eggs, things like that."

"Oh, interesting. I've never seen that brand in Korea."

"I asked my mom to send me some because I couldn't find any. Maybe you had it in New Zealand without realizing it?" Lisa took a step towards her. "Wanna taste it?"

"Sure."

Lisa put a little bit on Jennie's index finger and then the Korean girl hesitantly brought it up to her mouth.

Jennie licked her fingertip and jumped once the flavor hit her tongue. "So savoury!"

Lisa laughed mockingly at her cute reaction. "Savoury?"

"Like, salty."

"I won't put too much on your... kimbap, then."

They went back to doing their tasks. Once Jennie was done with their omelets, Lisa added Maggi, and then she put them on top of the seaweed with some fermented vegetables or, as she had learned, kimchi.

Then she added canned mackerel after getting rid of the excessive oil while Jennie prepared Tom Yum Kung flavored ramen as a side dish. When Jennie had told her what flavor the ramen was, Lisa had fangirled like crazy. Jennie had guessed it had been emotional to see Thai flavors in Korea.

"Okay, showtime," Lisa announced. She started to carefully roll the seaweed with the cutting mat. She was successful in her first attempt. "Oof, I wasn't breathing."

"Can I do the other one?" Jennie asked and Lisa stepped aside, giving her the needed space in the small kitchen. She was done with the ramen anyway. As expected, Jennie was successful and Lisa clapped at her admiringly.

They served the food on the kitchen counter and sat down in front of each other. "This is our first homemade meal," Jennie commented. "So it's time to teach you table manners."

"Oh?" Lisa sparked with interest. _Good_.

"It's if you wanna be formal, and you should be when you're with people you don't know well."

Lisa nodded. "Alright, what are Korean table manners?"

"It's not that hard. You simply say that you're gonna eat well before a meal. Jal meokkessumnida."

"Wait, hold up." Lisa reached out for a notepad by the end of the counter. "Say it again, but slowly."

"Jal meokkessumnida."

Lisa took her time, but tried spelling the word in Korean characters and then showed Jennie. "Is this right?"

Jennie had a look and her eyes widened. "It actually is!" While _잘 먹겠습니다_ wasn't a long sentence, Lisa's hearing abilities remained impressive.

"Jal meokkessumnida!" Lisa cheered. Jennie giggled and then they started eating. "Mmm, we did good," the Thai girl said after having the first sushi slice.

Jennie reacted the same way. "We make a good team."

Suddenly, Lisa's phone rang and her eyes widened. "Oh, crap!" She quickly took her phone and answered the video call request. "Hi, mom!" she said in Thai.

"Hello, Lalisa," her mother started out seriously. "Why haven't you been checking your phone? I wanted to know how your evaluation went!"

"I'm sorry, I went out with Jennie after the test to celebrate. We both got A's!" Lisa cheered. "Now we're in my dorm and we made mackerel sushi!"

"That's great, sweetheart. I'm so proud of you, I wish I could've been there to support you."

"Me too." Lisa remembered how her mother always attended her practice sessions and TV performances of her dance group _We Zaa Cool_. "But don't worry, I wasn't alone!" Lisa smiled at Jennie, who was gazing at her with interest while eating her kimbap. "Jennie, this is my mom. Mom, this is Jennie," Lisa said in English as she got up to stand next to her.

"Uh, hi!" Jennie answered abruptly, surprised by the random introduction.

"Hello there, Jennie!" Lisa's mom greeted. Her pronunciation wasn't as great as Lisa's, but it was understandable nonetheless. "How are you doing?'

"Amazing, we had so much fun!" Jennie smiled. "Lisa was spectacular today. She spoke a lot of Korean."

"That's good to hear. She's been telling me you taught her a lot and made her feel welcomed, so thank you."

Both Jennie and Lisa were flustered. "Oh, it was no problem at all," Jennie answered, not knowing what else to say.

"How is the Thai sushi? Spicy?" Lisa's mom asked, glancing at the slice on Jennie's chopsticks.

"A little, but it's okay. I can tell Lisa likes spicy things." Jennie giggled.

"I'm right here, you know," Lisa mentioned out loud, but her mom and Jennie happily continued their conversation. Her mom had asked about spicy dishes in Korea and somehow that brought up ten other topics about Lisa. In the span of an hour, Jennie learned everything about _We Zaa Cool_ , how Lisa loved buying clothes on street stands, saw how Lisa looked with long hair, now knew Lisa would sing with an air microphone when she was little, and she took singing and dance classes growing up.

"No wonder you're so good," Jennie commented, finally looking at her.

"Oh, you guys remembered I'm here," Lisa said sarcastically, but she was secretly happy that two of her favorite people in the world were bonding so well.

"Oops, I guess it's because I'm good at talking to adults." Jennie suddenly yawned, covering her mouth. "Sorry."

"It's fine, darling. It's late now, isn't it? I'll let you two rest." Lisa's mom waved her hand. "Goodbye!"

"Bye, bye!" Jennie and Lisa said in unison.

Lisa ended the call and looked at Jennie incredibly. "I can't believe you just became my mom's best friend like that."

Jennie laughed. "Adults love me." It was true. While Jennie could be really silly sometimes, she enjoyed a lot of "old people" things. Taking candlelit baths with R&B playing in the background, handcrafting, sewing, building furniture, taking care of plants, shooting photographs in film, and so on. Jennie didn't see any of that as exclusive to old people, but her friends in New Zealand would insist they were.

"Are you sure you're not forty?"

"Hey, that's teasing!" Jennie called out. "The day isn't over yet."

"Okay, okay, okay." Lisa nodded. Right, her punishment for losing was still going.

"Last Korean class of the day," Jennie announced. "When you finish a meal, you say _Jal meokeosseumnida_ , which means _I've eaten well_."

"Ooh, cool." Lisa quickly wrote it down after Jennie repeated the expression. Lisa smiled. "Jennie, jal meokeosseumnida."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for leaving kudos, I really appreciate it. Feel free to leave some feedback on the comments as well, I would love to read your thoughts. Now that that's out of the way, I'm so excited for the Netflix documentary. When we see them as trainees, it'll be golden and really fun to see if it's anything like my adaptation of reality.
> 
> Also, I started classes 3 weeks ago and the following months will be quite busy for me. We're gonna film the final project of my career and then I have to edit it, so that's gonna take a lot of my time. I'm still hoping to give you monthly updates though. When I first published this fanfic, I had two and a half chapters ready. I like knowing that I'll be able to continue a fanfic and jenlisa is definitely fun to write. Their lives are crazy and this is only the start. Have a nice day and stream THE ALBUM once it's out!


	6. Shut Down The World

The following day, Jennie was stretching in the dance room. She glanced at the clock hanging by the door. Class was about to start. Jennie looked around again, hoping that a Thai girl would appear in the blink of an eye. The problem was, she didn't. Maybe she overslept? It couldn't be. Lisa had been on time every day for the past month. That would be unusual. Then, what could it be? Did Jennie do something yesterday to upset her? Either way, Lisa should be here. It was their first day of training after an evaluation, everyone's presence was required. Where the hell was she?

Five minutes passed. Then ten. Twenty. No sign of Lisa coming here. The teacher didn't mention her at all and proceeded with the exercises.

When their usual practice was over, her group was left alone to decide the song and choreography they would perform by the end of the month. Everything felt like B.L. Before Lisa. Jennie had to worry about everything and lead the group. She made each member think of two suggestions and then they would check them out until a choice was made. Then they would think about who sings what, who could do this line or move better, what kind of outfits they would wear. There was definitely a lot to do right after an evaluation.

On Lisa's first day, she couldn't really understand Jennie or the others, so she just nodded at whatever they were suggesting. It hadn't seemed like a big deal then, considering Lisa was effortlessly imitating the moves in every music video they played and made it easier for the girls to pick. But now that Jennie understood Lisa a little better, she thought that her opinion would be valuable. In their singing classes, Lisa always picked really different songs from everyone else. Thai hip-hop, Korean pop, Western R&B, Disney movies; you name it. Jennie always looked forward to hearing her, even when her Korean was still really sloppy and her coach kept asking her to vocalize syllable per syllable. Sometimes Jennie thought that Lisa chose K-Pop songs on purpose, to force herself to learn faster. As far as Jennie knew, Lisa was still learning the Hangul characters and short words like "apple" and "milk".

 _I have no clue of what I'm saying~_ , Lisa had written in her notebook last week, showing Jennie.

 _Your pronunciation is getting better (^ㅂ_ _^)_ , Jennie replied with a smile on her face.

The room simply didn't feel complete without Lisa. Maybe it was Jennie's fault for getting too close or for becoming dependable on Lisa for dancing, but this wasn't right. Lisa had promised to save PINKPUNK with her and right now Jennie felt like she was being torn apart.

Lisa also didn't show up to the singing and krump lessons. She didn't even show up for lunch and dinner, for fucks sake. By the end of the day, Jennie furiously went to Lisa's dorm. She knocked hurriedly, her foot tapping anxiously on the floor.

The door opened shyly, and Jennie met Lisa's confused and sleepy face. She was wearing her pajamas and her hair was a bit messy.

"Annyeong," Lisa greeted softly, despite her tiredness.

One look and Jennie didn't have it in her to yell. "Annyeong?" she answered back, but it came out like a question.

Lisa stepped aside and let her visitor in. She hadn't really noticed Jennie's bad mood until she saw how firm Jennie's steps were.

Jennie didn't even know where to start. She ended up giving the Thai girl the benefit of the doubt. "So you skipped classes today..."

"Yeah." Lisa didn't sound regretful at all. She was just stating a fact like it wasn't a big deal.

"Are you sick?" Jennie tried again.

"I don't think so." Lisa glanced at her bedroom door, but it was too dark to see. The only light on came from a lamp in the small living room. What was with Lisa being dismissive though? Why wouldn't she give her an explanation?

"Listen, yesterday was amazing. It was one of the best days of my life and I really wish we could be like that every day, but we chose this path and we gotta take some responsibility." Jennie sighed, not earning much of a reaction. "Lisa, you need to be present for these sorts of things. What if YG makes you change groups? You're gonna be lost and you won't be able to talk to anyone." Maybe that was a little too harsh, but it was true.

Lisa opened her mouth, but her lips seemed to shiver and she sat down on the floor instead. "Sorry, I forgot to say Thai people are really laid back," she said jokingly, trying to lighten up the atmosphere. Didn't work. "So... do you know we believe in luck and spirits?"

"No..." Jennie trailed off, her thoughts heading to eighty different directions. She sat next to Lisa as she remembered their conversation from yesterday, where Jennie said that luck was a silly concept. _Had that been offensive?_ Lisa hadn't really reacted.

Lisa thought about her following words carefully and decided she could tell Jennie. If Jennie didn't care, she wouldn't be here. "Remember when we went to the haunted house yesterday?"

Jennie raised an eyebrow at first, but nodded after hearing her timid voice. It was the same one she had at the academy when she tried to speak to the coaches. "Where I cried my eyes out? Of course."

"And... do you believe in ghosts?"

Jennie had no idea where Lisa was going with this. "I don't. I need to see to believe, and everything in the haunted house is fake. It's just the jumpscares that get me."

"Yesterday you were so brave. I don't think I could have gone in without you."

Okay, now Jennie was really, really confused. "What do you mean?"

"I will sound crazy, but I've seen ghosts. Or spirits. I don't really know what to call them. But haunted houses scare me to death because of that." Lisa paused, trying to determine Jennie's reaction. She seemed more worried than anything else. "I was glad that you were going first because then I would've been the one freaking out. I only suggested it because I thought I could do it, but the second you got scared, I wanted to act tough for you like you'd been for me."

 _Dammit, we're both idiots_. "Lisa..."

"You didn't notice 'cause you were covering your face and then I hugged you, but I was crying too."

 _Was that right?_ Jennie couldn't really recall all the details. She never could after having a panic attack, but she remembers Lisa's heartbeat. It made sense that it'd been steadier than hers, Jennie's pulse is always higher than the average.

"I think that's what triggered it."

Jennie blinked. "Triggered what?"

"My sleep paralysis." Lisa looked down. "When I woke up this morning, I couldn't move. I heard whispers of a man. He was... saying creepy things and I couldn't scream for help. Then I saw a shadow and heard him right next to me. That's when my body forced itself to wake up. My face was so wet."

"Oh no..." Jennie said emphatically.

"Normally, my mom is there to calm me down. But now I'm alone and I hate it." Lisa buried her face on her knees, sobbing. Instinctively, Jennie rested her head on her shoulder and put an arm around Lisa, slowly making shapes on her back.

It wasn't hard for Jennie to blame herself. If she'd been honest from the start and told Lisa no at the haunted house, then maybe none of that would've happened. Jennie was the oldest after all, she had to take care of Lisa. "Do you think you'll be okay tonight?"

Lisa nodded. "I don't get them that often."

Jennie wanted to insist just to make sure, but she didn't have it in her to ask if she could stay over after what Lisa said. "Call me, beep me if you ever need me?"

Lisa smiled at the _Kim Possible_ reference. "I will."

Jennie didn't feel like there was anything else she could do, so she stood up. "I should go sleep. We have a big day tomorrow."

"Right." Lisa looked at her longingly for a moment, but then stood up as well and walked her to the door.

"See you in class?"

* * *

The next day, Jennie found herself in the practice room. Everyone but Lisa was already here. At this point, Jennie felt like she had spoken to a brick wall yesterday. She sighed in front of the large mirror.

 _Step, step, step, step_. "Sorry for making you wait!" a cute and tiny voice said in Korean.

Jennie looked at the reflection behind her. _Lisa_. The Thai girl was standing by the door wearing a red jersey with the number 27. She had clearly cut it off to turn it into a crop top, which looked really cool with her black sweats underneath. As if this girl already didn't have long legs... Something wasn't right, though.

Despite the fact that Jennie gave Lisa the idea of wearing hairbands to look girlier, Lisa still showed up with her apple hairstyle. Now that she remembers, didn't Lisa mention that she was a trendsetter? Was she actually trying to make a tiny hair tie popular among aspiring K-Pop idols? Jennie giggled to herself. Lisa really won't listen to anyone once her mind is set. Jennie couldn't say she didn't like that.

PINKPUNK played their song choice on a laptop and Lisa was a bit hesitant about it. The dance looked, well... not fun. They had clearly picked it because of the pretty vocals, but what are vocals without a cool performance? They were supposed to be idols, right? The whole package. "Dance..." Lisa said in Korean. "No good. Boring."

Lisa timidly began typing on the YouTube search bar, thinking of something less dull, "SUPER JUNIOR - SORRY SORRY (Dance Ver.)". While she knew the song was good, had impressive vocal dynamics and choreography, she simply didn't know PINKPUNK's taste at all. Some seemed to be like "Oh!" in recognition and the others were simply agape when the video started.

Jennie smiled proudly. "This is definitely a better choice," she commented to the group.

"Can we do it? It seems a bit tricky," a new member questioned. That only seemed natural for her, considering that she was better at vocals. Or at least that was what Jennie had noticed the past month.

"We gotta set the bar high for ourselves if we wanna debut," Jennie argued. "If any of you think you can't do it, speak now." Maybe this was unfair for the new members since they were probably new to dancing but with enough effort, anything was possible in a month. Jennie had learned that the hard way. She also trusted that Lisa would help them.

Everyone but Lisa and Jennie looked doubtful. Lisa just appeared confused, but Jennie's attitude was confident and firm. It was always interesting how Jennie took the lead in these meetings. Lisa felt that if Jennie didn't speak up, nothing would get done.

And that was true.

When Jennie first arrived to YG, she was really scared of talking to strangers. That included her own group members. One of them was really bossy and she made sure she had the most flashy lines. Let's call her B, for _bitch_ , of course. Jennie only got simple vocal parts until months later, when she finally decided to stand up for herself. One of her favorite songs had been chosen for their next evaluation and Jennie wanted to do the fast and sassy rap. No way she was gonna let _her_ do it. B's English was awful and she simply couldn't rap with style, with emotion. Not that she had any.

_"Let's put it up to a vote, then," Jennie proposed. Everyone seemed surprised that she was even talking to them._

_B rolled her eyes, but everyone else agreed._

As expected, Jennie had killed it. And when everybody chose Jennie, B had felt betrayed. It was in that same evaluation that B had gotten eliminated for good, as if Jennie had shown to the judges that B wasn't all that good. Had Jennie felt guilty? A little, but she was easily more talented. Her vocal coach told her so multiple times, this just wasn't in her head. Since then, all the members looked up to Jennie for decisions and it was a big pressure. One she willed to take until now.

Had that experience changed Jennie? Just like Lisa in class, Jennie had been shy and had some trouble readjusting to Korea after being abroad for so long. Maybe that's why she really wanted to support Lisa here, not that there really needed to be a reason. Her taste was amazing.

After a few moments of silence, no one else spoke. "Then it's settled. _SORRY, SORRY_ it is." Jennie patted Lisa's head, _You did good_.

Last time, Jennie had the role of vocals and Lisa had the role of choreographer, so it was expected for the two to have the same positions this time around. Lisa quickly studied the dance and memorized instantly as Jennie listened to the song, thinking about the voices of PINKPUNK. There were like twelve members in SUPER JUNIOR, but not all members had individual parts. Therefore, the ones left would be in charge of the group lines and ad-libs. They also had to test who was better at harmonies for some sections in the choruses.

After discussing the distribution, Jennie ended up with Donghae's verse and Lisa with Kangin's since he had the easiest lines with the least amount of words. Both of them were in charge of harmonies as well because it turns out Lisa sounded great in high pitch with her voice.

* * *

"Can you read your lyrics?" Jennie whispered in the back of the classroom.

Lisa nodded, staring at the highlighted lines on her lyrics sheet. "Ni mame naega... Jali jabassneunji... Naege malhaejwo."

"Good, good." Jennie smiled proudly. While Lisa's reading had been a bit slow, she was sure she could get it perfect for their next singing class. "Our harmonies are easier because we just repeat words, see?" Jennie pointed at the chorus section.

"Ooh, yes!"

"Try it a few times and then let's practice together."

Lisa started singing slowly and carefully. "Shawty, shawty, shawty, shawty. Nun-i busyeo, busyeo, busyeo. Sum-i maghyeo, maghyeo, maghyeo. Naega michyeo, michyeo, baby..."

Her voice was beautiful by itself. Lisa had a very distinct tone. Jennie wasn't sure if it was because she was Thai, but she really hadn't heard anyone like her before.

"Why are you smiling?" Lisa asked. "Was my pronunciation too funny?"

"No, no, no, you were awesome."

"Then why are you smiling?"

"Nothing," Jennie retorted, just like the way Lisa once had before they went to Hongdae.

"So..." Lisa trailed off. "Together?"

"Together." Jennie counted from one to three and then the two began harmonizing with each other. It felt so surreal to hear, so surreal to believe the two of them could sound this good without anyone else. Lisa had stayed on the right key despite hearing Jennie sing on another, which was extremely difficult, especially when there were sounds from other students around them.

But apparently, they had been a little loud. Everyone was staring at them now. They'd only realized once they had finished, even the vocal coach was taken aback.

"I haven't even taught them harmonies yet!" Coach Shin Yoo-Mi exclaimed. She wasn't really surprised, Jennie sounded and looked like a star already. She'd just needed to get out of her shell. Yoo-Mi hadn't explored a lot with Lalisa's voice yet, but she definitely had a sweet, soft pitch and a great attitude. Personality and confidence will always get you places. Unfortunately, Lalisa couldn't really understand her.

One thing Coach Yoo-Mi did notice though was Lalisa's stubbornness towards learning Korean. She would request her help with Korean songs and then Yoo-Mi would feel like a language tutor right after correcting her pronunciation and vocalization. But after all, she couldn't feel mad at Lalisa. Though at times she acted a bit bratty with her, Lalisa was genuine and that satisfactory smile after she got something right, it was everything. Like a ray of sunshine.

* * *

Before they knew it, the month had ended, meaning it was evaluation time. Unlike April, Jennie and Lisa didn't get to miss class. Apparently, _SORRY, SORRY_ was harder for some members than others, especially the new ones. That was bound to happen, but they'd been given an opportunity to speak up and they didn't, so now they had to pay the price. Jennie and Lisa did their best to help them, but they also had to worry about their individual performances. The last feedback they'd received was that Jennie needed to pick a more challenging dance and that Lisa had to make an existing song her own, not just copy the original.

Thursday night, right before evaluation day, Jennie found herself in Lisa's dorm. Lisa had moved a few things in the living room so Jennie could practice her choreography while Lisa practiced her Korean to present herself to the judges. Thankfully the other members had given her easy lines for their performance, so she was pretty much ready to go. Jennie on the other hand...

"Lisaaa!" Jennie whined.

"Yeah?"

"Remind me how this move was."

Lisa stood up from the kitchen counter, leaving her notes behind. Jennie played a section of the song and then Lisa got in front of her. Jennie felt like she was staring at a mirror, except the girl in the reflection was insanely good at dancing.

Lisa laughed. "Do it with me." She did the arms' movements first. "One." Then legs. "Two." Head. "Three."

Jennie followed attentively. They repeated it a few times and Lisa ended up doing the full dance with her, making Jennie more confident that she was getting everything right. "Thank you... and sorry I'm keeping you up so late."

"It's okay, I needed to practice my Korean anyway." Lisa flexed her tiny muscles.

"Seriously." Out of instinct, she sat down on the floor and only realized how much her muscles hurt. After all, they were at YG for 14 hours and now they had been practicing for at least another two. Jennie got physically tired really easily, but she wanted to be her best tomorrow. She also didn't wanna let the rest of her members down, they all had to make it.

"Do you wanna stay over? You look like you can't stand anymore." Lisa knew about Jennie's condition and that her dorm was a few floors above her, even the walk to the elevator would sound stressful to her.

"Is that okay?"

"Yeah, let's just take showers and sleep."

Lisa let Jennie borrow some of her clothes for the night. While Lisa showered, Jennie looked around Lisa's bedroom. I mean, YG didn't allow them to decorate so there wasn't a lot to see, but Lisa had a cute blanket with a sunflower pattern on her one and a half-sized bed. Luckily, the two were thin enough that it wouldn't be uncomfortable if one of them moved around.

Lisa also had a few posters attached to the walls. Jennie recognized one of the South Korean actor Gon Yoo. _So that's Lisa's type, huh?_ Maybe the two had similar taste, except Jennie wasn't embarrassing enough to display it.

Jennie picked up the T-shirt Lisa gave her. It was a simple, oversized black T-shirt with Thai words on it. She folded it again and checked out the green shorts. They were made of cotton, which made them really comfortable. Lisa really was offering great service, Jennie will give her five stars in _AirBnB_.

Lisa came out of the bathroom a few minutes later and told Jennie where she left clean towels. After that, Jennie saw how Lisa laid on top of her bed without bothering to use her blanket. Lisa closed her eyes and then she was gone, sleeping like a rock already.

While Jennie was envious, she couldn't help but think Lisa looked angelic under this dim yellow light. I think this was the first time Jennie saw her without makeup. It was a bit weird, but still her Lisa nonetheless.

Jennie took a quick shower, not really wanting to intrude by taking forever like she was used to. The warm water helped her muscles relax and she was suddenly so grateful. Showers rule.

When she finished, Jennie put on Lisa's clothes and headed to the bedroom. The Thai girl was in the same position as before, sound asleep. Jennie laid down, but she didn't know whether she should sleep under the blankets, cover Lisa, or copy Lisa. Jennie didn't wanna wake her up to ask if she was cold. Jennie personally hated when people woke her up. Even though she didn't believe in Hell, she knew there'd be a special place for them.

Jennie decided to lay beneath the blankets, she was really cold-sensitive and she didn't want her temperature to lower during the night. She needed to be perfect for tomorrow.

_What do people think about to stop thinking?_

_Nothing_.

Lisa's alarm went off around eight in the morning. She quickly shut it off to not bother the sleeping Jennie beside her. The Korean girl had an arm around Lisa's waist and honestly, this made Lisa want to forget about today and stay here for another hour. But she was way too excited for that.

Lisa slowly removed Jennie's arm from her body and the unconscious girl still tried to reach for something to hold on to. Lisa picked up her pink bunny plushie and gave it to Jennie, who cuddled it immediately. Lisa smiled brightly at the sight. _Yeah, let's let her sleep for a little while longer_. The only reason Lisa got up this early was to do her makeup and get breakfast outdoors.

She went to the bathroom, turned on the lights, and looked at the makeup reference one of her group members had sent. There was a lot of eyeshadow blending to do and of course, eyeliner. By now, Lisa was fairly good at it. She started wearing makeup when she participated in dance competitions, her mom had taught her everything she knew. And maybe some YouTube tutorials.

Fifteen minutes later, she was done. _So what to do now_... Right, food. She could make Jennie something to eat, but she really couldn't bother right now. Lisa put an oversized hoodie on top of her pajamas and some sneakers to leave the dorms. A few weeks ago, she had found a cute-looking café nearby and it was fairly cheap, so she's been eating there ever since. The staff sort of understood that she couldn't speak Korean, but they were always happy to see her.

Lisa wasn't sure what Jennie would like, so she bought a variety of breakfast meals. The one thing she had learned though was that Jennie loved coffee. She always had one with her during the early classes. Coffee was too sour for Lisa, having preference for sweets.

Lisa had to point towards the door for the cashier to understand she wanted her order for takeout. After all that, she returned to her dorm and found Jennie was still sleeping. It was 8:40, so it was probably time for her to eat and get ready as well.

Jennie looked really tiny, especially while hugging her plushie. She was too delicate for Lisa to just jump on top of her and wake her up, that's how Lisa's mom tended to wake her up anyway.

Lisa crawled towards Jennie's back and hugged her tightly, to the point it might be a bit uncomfortable. "Jennie, Jennie, wakey, wakey."

Jennie just groaned, mumbling things Lisa couldn't really understand. She just hoped they weren't curses.

Lisa rested her chin on Jennie's shoulder. "Come on, Jennie. We have evaluations today."

That seemed to have worked, making Jennie attempt to free herself. Lisa let go quickly, afraid that the girl would go back to sleep if she kept her in her grasp.

Jennie sat down and stared at nowhere in particular, as if she was adjusting to the light and atmosphere of the room. After a moment, she glanced at Lisa. "Annyeong..."

"Joh-eun achim," Lisa answered, cheerful as ever to remember how to say _good morning_.

Lisa speaking Korean so well was unusual, was her mind playing tricks on her? Jennie stood up and walked right up to Lisa. She stretched out her pointer finger and placed it on Lisa's cheek. "Bing."

Lisa placed both her pointer fingers in Jennie's cheeks. "Bong."

Jennie giggled and then she came back to her senses. Yesterday the two had refused to eat something at night because otherwise, their cheeks would look puffy today. "I'm hungry."

"Lucky you, I just bought food."

"Yay!" Jennie exclaimed.

Was Jennie normally a baby in the mornings? If so, Lisa was totally into it. I guess not everyone wakes up with a lot of energy.

They had breakfast together. Once Jennie had her coffee, she slowly started acting like her usual self. Thankfully, Jennie didn't take a long time with her hair and makeup. PINKPUNK would get into their group outfits after the individual tests, so right now they just had to wear anything that would fit both their singing and dance choices.

Before leaving, Jennie went to her dorm. She took her medicines, vitamins, and everything she would need for the day.

As expected, a lot of trainees were wandering around the agency's hallways. PINKPUNK congregated once everyone spotted each other and waited 'til their names were called. This time, Lisa could kind of understand what was happening around her. All nine members would be called to the main dance room for their individual evaluations and after receiving their feedback, they'd have to go and dress up before their group performance. Jennie always pitied the last person to be called, they only had a minute or two to get ready.

Just like last time, Jennie's turn was right before Lisa's. The Thai girl was proud to announce that Jennie hadn't messed up her dancing. And if you're wondering, yes, her singing had been flawless.

Lisa got anxious as she heard the judges speak to Jennie, who always had a serious face in front of the judges. She couldn't really tell whether they were saying good or bad things, but she could only hope for the best. CEO Yang was there too, but Lisa didn't know what to think of him yet. He had only talked to her once in broken English to sign her contract. His voice was funny then, but right now he sounded like a businessman deciding if he should buy a big stock.

"Lalisa Manoban," he called out next.

Lisa stood up out of instinct, her nerves all over the place. She took a deep breath, trying to remember each Korean sentence she had memorized. Jennie was nodding at her like, "yeah, keep going." Jennie seemed to be doing fine after being judged, so Lisa started feeling a little better.

"Dance."

 _Everything's okay. I can do this, I can do it perfectly_.

* * *

Nine girls let their breaths out, the music ending. Both Jennie and Lisa had focused on their own performances, not really knowing how the others did.

There were whispers coming from the judges' side of the room. "Some members aren't clicking," one of them had mumbled. Then there was another that had looked at her and Lisa straight in the eyes, chills going down Jennie's spine. She didn't wanna eavesdrop anymore, so she went towards Lisa and sat down to drink water next to her.

 _You know what? Me and Lisa were outstanding today_. How Lisa had managed to choreograph them in such a unique way on her second month of training was impressive. They had done perfect harmonies while dancing and killed it. Whether the final result was good or bad, black or white, they had put on a show.

"Do they take this long sometimes?" Lisa shyly asked next to her. Last time, it hadn't taken them as much to settle their final scores.

 _That could only mean..._ "Oh." Jennie grabbed Lisa's hand and waited for the result.

Jennie not answering her question was quite worrying, the tight grip on her warm hand was too. _What's going on?_

A few minutes later, the judges started listing their individual scores. Lisa got all As again while Jennie got an A on singing and B on dancing, which was really disappointing at this stage.

"After analyzing the group scores, we've come to the decision of changing some of your schedules, meaning that a few trainees will move to another group," CEO Yang announced. "The ones who'll remain in PINKPUNK are the ones who we believe fit its original concept."

Jennie could feel Lisa's gaze on her, but all Jennie was able to do was anticipate the CEO's answer. While none of them were being eliminated, moving to a new group was like starting over from zero. Jennie couldn't afford to start over after nine months of training.

"The ones staying in PINKPUNK are..." he looked at the list of names, as if he didn't know them by now. "Miyeon, Jennie, and Lisa. The rest of you will be reassigned by the end of the day."

Lisa didn't know whether or not she should be happy she heard her name and Jennie's right next to each other. But Jennie looked like she might cry, which was making Lisa want to cry. Jennie bit her lip and nodded, standing up, still holding Lisa's hand, leading her out of the building.

Jennie needed to breathe for a moment, away from everyone. "Um..." her voice felt hoarse, like she might choke.

Lisa offered her water, which Jennie gladly took.

 _Sip, sip_. "So... we're sticking together in PINKPUNK. You, me, and Miyeon. The rest is going to another group."

"Oh." Lisa had the same reaction as Jennie earlier. It was like, she was happy she wasn't going home, but she couldn't be happy to lose her fellow members. "So, is it going to be just the three of us?"

Jennie shook her head. "They'll bring other trainees who were removed from their groups as well. Or new trainees. YG has regular auditions, and more so in Korea."

"Alright..." Lisa didn't like seeing Jennie like this, so she thought of ways to make her feel better. _Hmm_ , what new words had she learned recently? "Jennie," Lisa said mischievously. The Korean girl didn't look up. "Jennie." Now she did. "Hwaiting!" The word sounded like _fighting_ in English, but it actually meant _cheer up_ in Korean. Jokingly, Lisa started imitating a boxer. "They wanna break PINKPUNK apart? Bring it on, we won't go down without a fight!" Lisa did a kick in the air. "Kya!"

Surprisingly, Jennie smiled, a single tear trailing down her cheek. She quickly brushed it off and put her badass face on. "Kyaaaaa!" she screamed out of frustration, throwing punches to an invisible sandbag.

Lisa saw how Jennie broke down right after, bringing her to her arms before she could fall on the concrete. They cried together, pouring out their mixed feelings. Happiness, sadness, disappointment, frustration, _failure_.

They didn't speak about this ever again.

* * *

It was the first week of June, everyone was getting ready to leave, packing their bags and drinking water after their long dance practice. "Any plans for the summer?" Lisa asked, crouching next to her.

Jennie scoffed. "Funny." Lisa looked at her dead serious. "Come one, you know we don't have breaks."

"Don't we, though?" Pause. "When we miss class," the Thai girl whispered the last part.

"That's... We're not supposed to."

Somehow, Lisa scooted closer to her. "So tell me, what do Koreans do in summer?"

"Okay, what's got you all excited 'bout summer?" For Jennie, the past summer had felt like her last. She had arrived to Korea exactly last year to prepare for the upcoming YG audition. One thing she'd realized was that there were too many distractions in Korea. In New Zealand, the only thing she really owned was her clothes. The allowance she was given wasn't that much and she usually had to save up a lot to even be able to buy anything.

In here, she had her old room, her grand piano, her mom... It was all too overwhelming. There was something she knew though, she had to push herself to make it. She hadn't come home to fail, so she shut down the world and learned singing warm-ups, techniques, and breathing exercises all by herself. She was also very aware that she'd have to dance if she got in, so she signed up to a short contemporary dance and hip-hop course.

"Can't you feel it already? The weather!" Lisa exclaimed now that everyone in the dance studio was gone. "It felt so nice I went out in the morning for a walk."

"Wait 'til we go away from YG's air conditioner. It's gonna get very humid." After saying that, Jennie felt she was being blunt. "It might rain a lot..." That's how she remembers it at least, hearing the raindrops outside her bedroom. "But on the hot summer days," she continued softly. "We can go to water parks, beaches, hikes, music festivals—Lisa we gotta go to music festivals, I don't care if I don't sleep." That's when Jennie lost herself to Lisa's excitement and her bright smile. "Some people like camping, but I'm not those people."

"You're gonna let me camp by myself?"

"Who says you're going?" Jennie laughed, finally relaxing, even when her body was still sore from practice. "Let's do the others..."

Lisa's face lit up.

"...But only if PINKPUNK is doing well during practice. If the other members are trailing behind, we stay back and help them, okay?"

Lisa stretched her hand out, ready to settle this down. "You got yourself a deal."

 _Shake, shake_. "It was great making business with you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who watched Light Up The Sky? I'm so glad I've been portraying Jenlisa really close to how it was. When Lisa said that she was able to speak to Jennie because she was the only one who knew English, I felt like a proud writer haha. They've never said that before, just that they weren't allowed to talk to her in English because they needed her to learn Korean. I need a compilation of all their trainee clips, I wish we could have them all in full length, but the little we got was still impressive and showed how tough their days were. While I hate YG, the only good thing they've ever done was bring them together. I'm glad I got to know them better during the pandemic, it has been a healthy obsession (or so I'd like to think). If everything they've achieved so far has only been the beginning, we can only imagine what else they will bring to the table. None of us are gonna be able to guess because everyone is so unique, everyone has their own way of thinking—that's why every song, every joke, every relationship, and every adventure are different. 
> 
> This documentary is really inspiring for anyone who really wants to make it. Hell, I want to make it as a musician. I wanna share my feelings, experiences, and thoughts with the world from my perspective, and hope that someone will resonate and feel less alone.
> 
> That's what I wrote last night when I saw it. Back then, this chapter was only around 3.1k words long, can you believe? I was literally gonna post it before LUTS aired, but I decided against it because some of the timing didn't make sense. I'm still surprised at myself, like half the stuff I had already written for this chapter was in line with what the girls told us, except for dates because how the hell am I supposed to know? I can only approximate them with logic.
> 
> Anyway, this is really long already. So: final thoughts, the album is amazing. I had lowered my expectations after Ice Cream, but the girls really went off. They finally got to play more with their vocal range and the distribution was really balanced on the new songs. I wrote a whole review on Metacritic (@arcaneghost) if anyone's curious. Send all your love to the girls and fuck misogynists. Nurse Jennie for life.
> 
> PS. We might meet someone new in the next chapter ;)


	7. Mandu Bol

Jennie had been right when she told Lisa it would get very humid. Jennie had so much trouble falling asleep every day because she felt uncomfortable and her allergies were hitting her hard during the night. They also had no air conditioner in the dorms, so existing felt like hell at the moment. She even considered moving back to her mom's because it was just that unbearable, but Jennie didn't really wanna lose her minutes of extra sleep by having to take the train. How was practice going? They were working hard, _really_ hard. As leaders, Jennie and Lisa had failed PINKPUNK and they were determined to not let it happen again.

All their new members were very upset to have been transferred, but some of them seemed like they would fit with the group's concept and had trained enough that they didn't need to be taught the basics.

June's evaluation had definitely gone better than their last. Lisa had made the choreographies look easier while they were still cool and polished. Everyone else seemed to be decent vocalists but not the best, so Jennie had to choose small parts that would make all members stand out with their current abilities. Miyeon was now in charge of PINKPUNK's visuals and she was doing surprisingly well, taking some weight off Jennie's shoulders.

This time around, both Jennie and Lisa got As in every category. _Fuck yes_ , they deserved it after all the sweat and backstage tears. Plus, they had to show the new members that they were in good hands now.

As of tradition, Lisa missed the first day of class after an evaluation. Jennie wasn't sure why she kept doing this, but at this point she wouldn't complain as long as Lisa designed the best choreography in the world for them. It was still a bit of a let down not having her input right off the bat, so Lisa better come back tomorrow with tier quality choices for the next PINKPUNK performance.

This was embarrassing to admit, but Jennie had gotten really attached to Lisa ever since she got here. The Thai girl had also been there for her whenever Jennie felt like quitting, she was so grateful for her friendship. Just a few weeks ago, Lisa had bleached and dyed Jennie's hair for the first time, saying she helped her mom cover her occasional gray hairs all the time. They had only bleached the part above the back of her neck, wanting to try a new look for once. It was strange to see herself like that in the mirror, but Jennie was sure this change was good. Otherwise, she wouldn't have had the urge to do it.

This day wasn't different from the usual, but she noticed there was someone she didn't know in the group singing class. This new girl had a supermodel's face, but it was easily shadowed by her red hoodie, plain blue jeans, and white converse, not really looking like what you'd expect from a YG trainee. She was talking to Coach Yoo-Mi in private while the others warmed up.

Jennie was about to mind her own business, but then the new girl began singing a beautiful Korean ballad. Her voice was really interesting. If Jennie had to describe it, she would say she sounded like bubblegum cotton candy. Maybe that was random and specific, but you'd understand if you could hear it. Her pitch was weirdly sweet and you couldn't get enough of it. Jennie just wanted to keep listening, but then the new girl stopped when the coach told her to.

"Jennie!" Yoo-Mi suddenly called her over.

Jennie got up and walked towards them. "Yeah?"

"Since you're staring so much and Lalisa isn't stuck to you like glue today, could you please teach Jisoo how to properly warm-up and anything else you notice?" Coach asked. "I will be right back after checking in on everyone."

Jennie nodded. "Okay." Coach really must trust me. She turned to the new trainee and stretched out her hand. "Kim Jennie."

"Kekekeke," the new girl laughed, taking in the warm greeting. "I'm Kim Jisoo."

"It's fun having the most common last name in Korea, right?" Jennie laughed too. "How old are you?"

"I'm sixteen, and you?"

"Fifteen." Jennie smiled. It was cool to finally meet someone a little older outside of PINKPUNK. Everyone she had met so far was either younger or her age, and the few that were older than Jennie tended to have some superiority complex.

Jisoo was surprised. This girl was very stylish for her age. She had the interior of her hair dyed blonde while the rest of it remained black. Chu always thought that dying your hair was only something grown-ups should do. You had to take extra care of your hair and Chu wasn't here for it. She had to admit though, this trainee looked like she could be in rap music videos already.

"Is this your first class?"

"First singing class ever," Jisoo said proudly.

"So you're self-taught?"

"I am...?" Chu asked herself, putting her fingers on top of her chin. "I've sung a lot of children's songs over the years."

"Oh, really?" That was a first for Jennie. Someone who likes children songs auditioned for YG, the hip-hop idol company, and passed?

"Yeah. I sing all the time, but I don't know any of the technical stuff."

"Well, warming up isn't technical. It's like exercising, but with your voice." Jennie felt kind of stupid after saying that, it was kind of self-explanatory, but Jisoo was nodding repeatedly. Was she doing it to be nice or did she actually not know that information before a second ago? "Let's try some exercises together."

Jennie coached Jisoo for three hours, as if they'd been her whole ten months of training. Jisoo was a quick learner and she actually understood what Jennie had been explaining, she just didn't know the right terms for everything. That immediately invalidated Jennie's theory that Jisoo had no clue of what she was doing.

After the first hour, Jennie got this extreme sense of comfort while helping Jisoo. She was really easy to talk to and made her feel safe. Maybe it was because Jisoo was new, but Jennie didn't feel like Jisoo had competition on the back of her mind.

"How does the rest of your schedule look?" Jennie asked.

"I have piano lessons and then Japanese."

"Me too!" Jennie had sounded way too excited, but Jisoo just smiled back. Who knew there'd be people who would want to hang out with her?

 _Okay, Chu, don't be too hard on yourself_. _You are charming in your own weird way..._ or at least that's what her mentors told her in the Performing Arts School she attended. Believe it or not, Chu was her happiest when she was in there. She was surrounded by a lot of friends and talented people, she hoped YG would be like this too.

Having Jennie in both her following lessons had been a blessing. While they hadn't gotten to talk more, knowing that Chu had someone she could trust nearby was very welcoming.

That all changed in Jisoo's first dance lesson.

From the second she had entered the dance room, Chu could feel a bunch of judging eyes on her. She swallowed all of her fear and headed towards her group. Sure, Jisoo didn't look anything like them, that was clear. But she also wasn't the kind of person who'd run away from intimidating situations. She liked to face things head-on.

Chu gathered as much information as possible about her members. They all seemed too bothered to be separated from their former groups to make any real progress on their following evaluation. So instead, they decided to interrogate the newbie, Kim Jisoo.

"Are you good at dancing?" one of them had asked.

"I've never really danced in my life," Jisoo admitted. "I made it here because of my acting and singing."

Disappointed, another girl sighed. "What are we gonna do without a choreographer? Lalisa was the only one who could really do it."

This was the second time Jisoo heard that odd name, _Lalisa_. First with coach Yoo-Mi and Jennie, and now with her group. Chu would make sure to remember it, that Lalisa seems to be really popular.

The fact that Jisoo couldn't dance made her feel like a burden already and there was nothing Chu hated more than that. Being the youngest in the family had always made her want to be capable of taking care of herself so she wouldn't have others worrying about her. This was when Jisoo told herself that she would become great at dancing, she _had_ to.

* * *

The next day, Jisoo arrived to her group singing class early. She easily spotted a familiar face sitting by the back of the room. Jennie seemed to be lost in her own sea of thoughts, so Jisoo jumped in front of her. "Nyeongan!"

"Huh?" Jennie gasped, blinking at her friend's random appearance. After her heartbeat slowed down a little, she processed what just happened. "Annyeong backwards?"

Jisoo pointed at her proudly, genuinely impressed. "You're smart, youngling."

"Thanks, Jisoo-ssi. Good morning." Jennie looked at Jisoo with interest as she sat beside her. This felt like deja vu. Jisoo was wearing the same red hoodie and black converses from yesterday, and nothing felt different about her makeup either. _She isn't trying too hard like the rest of us_. Jennie admired that. Wanting to fit in was everyone's weakest point.

A few minutes before the singing lesson started, an interesting girl arrived. She had short messy hair, a couple of strands sticking out. Her clothing style was urban, but it made her skinny figure look cool. Jisoo wondered what was her height, her legs were past Chu's waistline at least. The girl was also carrying a big backpack, but it didn't seem too heavy. If she wasn't carrying a lot of stuff, why bring such thing? It would definitely be a bother to Jisoo.

The girl was going straight towards Jennie but she seemed confused to see Jisoo on the seat next to her. The girl decided to sit in front of Jennie instead and she turned to face her after leaving her bag on the desktop. "Annyong, Jennie."

"Annyong," Jennie answered. Lisa was behaving more timid than normal. What was the reason...? Oh. Jennie looked towards Jisoo and pointed at Lisa. "That is Manoban Lalisa," she said, sitting back so Jisoo could see the girl properly.

"Lalisa-ssi?" Jisoo repeated, recalling the name from yesterday. That girl wasn't using any honorifics so, was she older than Jennie or was she just outright rude?

"Yeah, she's from Thailand and doesn't speak Korean. Only really basic stuff."

"Ah." Jisoo nodded and looked at the Thai girl with a little more ease. She had been ready to throw a fistfight. Okay, maybe Chu didn't have the physical strength for that, _kekekeke_. "Naneun Kim Jisoo-ibnida," she introduced herself.

"Naneun Manoban Lalisa-ibnida," Lisa said in a tiny voice.

"So how do you guys talk with the language barrier and everything?" Jisoo asked Jennie.

Jennie seemed a bit hesitant to answer, but then decided it was okay. Jisoo didn't know they weren't supposed to talk to Lisa in other languages. "English."

"Oh, you speak English, Jennie-ssi?"

"Yeah, I lived in New Zealand for five years before coming back to Korea to become a singer."

"Wow, that's so cool," Jisoo commented. "I've been here my entire life."

While the two kept chatting, Lisa turned back towards the front, feeling left out. It was bound to happen at some point, Jennie getting new friends. There was nothing wrong with that—in fact, Lisa was happy for her—but why did she feel so lonely? They had been side by side ever since Lisa joined, and seeing her act so calm and free in the agency with other people was a rare sight. Jennie tended to put her guard up with everyone else, especially her group members, because she didn't want people to look down on her.

Lisa wished she could distract herself with the coach's words, but she didn't understand her either. She took her Thai novel out of her backpack and couldn't read a word. Maybe Lisa was more upset with herself for not learning Korean beforehand than the fact that she couldn't make new friends.

Glancing at the back of Lalisa's head, Jisoo noticed the two hair ties holding a few strands of Lalisa's hair. Chu had originally assumed Lalisa didn't have time to do her hair today since she was late to class, but the Thai girl had done that hairstyle on purpose. What a weird kid.

* * *

By the end of Jisoo's third day, she came across Jennie after her group session. As always, she was with Lalisa trailing behind her.

"How was practice?" Jisoo asked, seeing how drained they were.

Jennie let out a deep breath. "I'm dead."

"Seems like we're both in the afterlife then. I didn't really exercise before YG, so it's been hitting me really hard."

"Hey, Jennie," Lalisa suddenly said in English. "I'm really tired, so I'm just gonna go to bed."

"Oh, alright," Jennie answered, quite surprised. They usually headed back to the dorms together and had occasional sleepovers at Lisa's when Jennie was too exhausted. It felt really unusual to separate after practice. "Goodnight..."

"Night."

Jisoo didn't understand what they were saying, but Lalisa just left and Jennie looked very confused about it. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah, she's younger, so it's around her bedtime..." Jennie trailed off. Her sentence didn't make sense. Lisa was always so full of energy it scared Jennie, who gets tired after twenty seconds of running. It took her a moment to get back into the conversation. "And I get it. I have no physical resistance at all, even after almost a year of training. My mom says I inherited that from her."

"That's the worst thing you could've inherited, kekekeke."

"I know, right? Thanks mom!" After saying that out loud, Jennie felt her muscles ache, as if she wouldn't be able to stand at any moment. She sat down, her body weakly landing on the floor. "I wish I was in a sauna."

"Let's go to one."

"Right now?" Jennie gasped. "It's kind of late."

" _Kind of_ is the keyword." Jisoo smirked.

"You know what? Sure. Let's go." _I deserve it_ , Jennie wanted to add, but that felt too cocky for her. _It's not like I'm getting any sleep anyway_.

They took a cab to the closest _jjimhilbang_ available. It has been forever since Jennie went to a bathhouse. New Zealand simply didn't have that kind of culture or at least it was really uncommon, being naked in front of others would be too embarrassing to even think of. In Korea, it was normalized. After all, we are all human, there was nothing to be ashamed of.

When they'd arrived, Jennie and Jisoo left their shoes in the reception's lockers. After they paid, they were given their keys, towels, and cotton pajamas, ready to enter the women's changing room. It was a weekday, so the place wasn't crowded, which made their surroundings peacefully quiet. They proceeded to calmly undress and store their clothes in lockers.

"You're in good shape, Jennie-ssi."

"Thank you." Jennie blushed. She checked out Jisoo's naked body too. Seeing her without her basic choice of clothing made Jisoo more appealing to Jennie. "Damn, I wish I had your curves."

"Really?" Jisoo pinched the side of her own waist. "Thank you... Also, I wanted to say this when I first saw you, but we were so busy, kekekeke."

That was definitely sparking up Jennie's attention. "Oh, what is it?"

"I love the mole under your eyebrow. I wish I had a flashy mole like that."

"For real?" Jennie was taken aback. She used to dislike it, but over the years she had come to terms with it, and now she was quite fond of her mole as well. She just hadn't heard it from anyone else.

Jisoo nodded continuously. "I also like Lalisa's, the one next to her left eye."

"Me too, it really suits her." Jennie reminisced a few of their sleepovers. When Jennie couldn't sleep, she decided to stare at Lisa to keep her mind clear from any complicated thoughts. Jennie got to appreciate her bare face... and also her drooling face, _kekekeke_. Sometimes Lisa fell asleep in the most hilarious positions ever.

Once Jennie and Jisoo finished complementing each other a little more, they washed up before finally getting in a hot tub. They chose an open-air one, wanting the balance of the cold wind and the boiling water after Jennie admitted she couldn't stand high temperatures for long. In response, Jisoo had rolled Jennie's towel like a sheep, placing it on the younger girl's head.

Now, the two laid back on the hot tub, allowing their bodies to give in to the heat, their tense muscles slowly relaxing.

The first one to break the comfortable silence was Jisoo. "Jennie-ssi... when did you know you wanted to become an idol?"

"Hmm... Well, my mom wanted me to go to America to study and get a job. The person she wanted me to be, it wasn't me. I suddenly realized that I wanted to be a singer in Korea. I've always been into YG's music, they're very different from other artists around the world. Bolder. I want to create music like that, music no one has ever heard before."

"You can do it," Jisoo encouraged, offering a timid smile. "I wish I had a greater story like yours."

"What's your story?"

"I'm studying performing arts, acting in particular. My teachers told me I should get experience by doing auditions and my first one was YG's." Jisoo glanced at Jennie's dead serious expression. "Told you it's not that interesting."

"No, no, no, keep going. I'm just thinking." Jennie paused. "How did you get around singing?"

"CEO Yang was in my audition. He said I had a great face and that he could see me acting or doing commercials in the future. I sensed there was a _but_ coming, like he was looking for something more than just appearances. I thought I wouldn't pass." Jisoo sat up straighter. "Then I'd remembered reading that YG was a record label as well, so I asked if I could sing."

"What did he say?"

"At least you can sing on key."

"Oh, my god, no, kekekeke. At least you had a better audition than me."

"What are you saying? No way."

"I used to be really shy around strangers. I still am, but I've gotten a little better 'cause I had to meet dozens of trainees over the last year. When I entered the audition room, I was so anxious I could barely introduce myself. The staff had to ask me to speak louder because the camera wasn't picking up the audio." Jennie had covered her face with her hands, too embarrassed. "I only calmed down when the music started playing. I sang _Take A Bow_ by Rihanna and come on, who can hold themselves back when they hear Rihanna's songs?"

"She has such a beautiful voice. I'm glad she pulled you through, kekekeke."

"Me too. Also, Jisoo-ssi..." Jennie held her hand under the water. "You can do it too."

"That means a lot coming from you. To me, you're already a star. I can see you performing in arenas when you debut."

"I'm already like a star? Jisoo-ssi, I honestly thought you were a supermodel in disguise when I first saw you. You're so pretty."

"That's the first time someone ever calls me pretty..." Jisoo trailed off, being too vulnerable for her own liking here. "At home, my family would always call me ugly, monkey, _or_ ugly monkey."

"Huh? I don't understand why they would." That sounded terribly awful. Jisoo started explaining it was because her ears used to stick out while she was growing up, but Jennie could only imagine how all those nicknames had affected Jisoo's confidence and self-esteem over the years. And the fact that it's her own family, people she can't get away from unless... "Do you wanna be my roommate?" Jennie blurted out suddenly. "If you can afford it, of course."

"Oh!" Jisoo gasped. That was really unexpected, to say the least. Moving out had never seemed like an option. Her family was more of the _finish school, go to college, find a good job, get rich, get married, and have kids_ type, which sounded really boring to Chu.

"You don't have to give me an answer now," Jennie added. "It's pretty much out of the blue, but I think it would be cool to share rooms with Jisoo-ssi."

"I think so too." Chu didn't believe money would be a problem, her grandparents would probably say something like, _Oh, you're really at that age already, aren't you?_ and let it slip like that. The rest of her family though, they acted like they were in a sitcom. Her parents would make a big deal out of this, especially now that Jisoo's older brother and sister were in college. Her mom will dryly say Jisoo is sick of them and her dad will dramatically claim his lil Chu is leaving them in a nursing home next.

The more she thought about moving out, the less it seemed like a bad idea. The pros outweighed the cons—for example, Jisoo wouldn't have to wait for the last train to get home. Second, if she needed help with singing or dancing, she would have Jennie by her side. Also, Chu would have more free time in the mornings. She could use it to practice or play games. "I'll talk with my parents," she concluded.

Jennie squealed, hugging Jisoo's side in excitement.

"Get off!" Jisoo pushed her away carefully. "You're too hot!"

"That's what they all tell me," Jennie joked. That sounded like something Lisa might say. It worried Jennie how that came into her mind.

"Then everyone might think you have a fever."

Jennie whined like a child, "Aniyo!"

"Too late now, you're a virus!"

"The hell?" Jennie burst out laughing. After a moment, she gazed at Jisoo. "I'm glad we did this."

"Me too."

"Jisoo-ssi, one more thing." Jennie looked at her nervously. "Can I call you unnie?"

Being called older sister would give some sense of responsibility to Jisoo. Maybe she should play the part for now. "Of course."

While they had only known each other for three days, Jennie had felt Jisoo unnie was someone she wanted in her life. Jennie rarely got that gut feeling with people so, whenever she had it, she had to hold on to it and hope for the best.

* * *

The next day, Jennie was surprised to find Lisa in the dance studio. You see, the Thai girl tended to be one of the last ones to arrive. "Good morning," Jennie greeted her. They were alone, so she felt free to greet her in English.

However, Lisa did so in Korean, "Joh-eun achim." She ran up to her bag and grabbed a drink container that was next to it. Lisa handed it to Jennie. "Coffee."

"Oh, why, thank you..." Jennie took it and started drinking it. Lisa had ordered Jennie's favorite again. After having multiple sleepovers and breakfasts together, Jennie had eventually told her how she liked her coffee. But it was a bit weird for Lisa to have brought her anything at the agency, considering they were only here to train. "I didn't get much sleep last night."

"Why?" Lisa asked shyly.

"Me and Jisoo unnie ended up talking for hours. It was really nice."

"Ah, cool." Lisa got back to her laptop and played the song they had picked for the group performance. "So I was thinking your part could be something like this."

Lisa waited a few beats until Jennie's section came up. On queue, the Thai girl began dancing. Her moves were pretty sharp and there were some krump techniques they had recently learned. It seemed doable until Lisa did a quick spin and dropped down on her side to stretch one of her long legs sensually against the floor. Then she retrieved her leg and jumped up, slowly kneeling down to jump up again, ending on a perfect stand.

"I think my motion sickness might kill me," Jennie commented when Lisa stared at her for feedback. The judges would be really impressed if Jennie could pull this off, just like how Jennie had been agape during Lisa's showcase. "Let's do it, it's badass."

"You'll be okay?"

"As long as you're here."

Lisa smiled. After that, the rest of PINKPUNK members arrived for their dance lesson.

* * *

Jennie and Lisa ate quietly at the YG cafeteria. Dancing so early always made them very hungry at lunchtime. In times like this, when it was just the two of them, Lisa still used a spoon as her main choice of cutlery, but she tried using chopsticks when they were with other members.

"Can I sit here?" a bubbly voice asked.

"Of course, Jisoo unnie."

Interestingly enough, Lisa was able to understand Jennie's answer. Was Jisoo actually her older sister? I mean, it was possible, they both had the same last name and they seemed quite close. It doesn't explain why Lisa had never met Jisoo before though. She would ask Jennie later.

"I have an announcement to make!" Jisoo exclaimed after sitting next to Jennie. "Drumroll, please."

Jennie lightly hit the table repeatedly, using her pointer fingers as drumsticks. "Bbang, bbang, bbang!"

"You have a new roommate!"

Jennie covered her mouth to not squeal out loud. Instead, she hugged Jisoo unnie's side. "Oh, my god," she whispered in English. It was definitely strange, her excitement about this. Let's just say that Jennie from three months ago would be very confused right now.

Lisa watched the duo in front of her, it was as if Jisoo had told Jennie she would be debuting. Otherwise, Lisa couldn't imagine Jennie being this happy about something.

Jisoo noticed Lalisa while being hugged by her new roommate. Lalisa looked... _lonely_. "Hey, Lalisa. Why are you eating with a spoon?"

Lisa only understood her greeting. "Annyong, Jisoo."

 _Hmm..._ The screws in her head ran at full speed. Chu pointed at her own spoon. "Sudgalag." Then she pointed out Lisa's unused chopsticks, pouting her lips. "Jeosgalag."

Lisa shrugged her shoulders. "I'm from Thailand," she said in Korean. Nonetheless, Lisa made a mental note of the new words Jisoo had taught her.

"Ah!" Chu didn't really know much about Thai culture, but it was definitely unusual to see someone eat meat with a spoon.

Lisa decided to grab her own chopsticks. "Jeosgalag." Then she held them the way Jisoo was doing. "Isanghan."

 _Funny?_ Jennie looked at Lisa and then back at Jisoo. _Oh, kekekeke_. Jisoo was holding her chopsticks really unnaturally. It was like she was using four fingers to hold a single stick and one for the other instead of distributing them correctly.

Jisoo turned to Jennie very seriously, acting as if she was very intimidating. "You have to control that maknae of yours."

Jennie couldn't help but laugh. "You _do_ hold them very funny. Even Lisa holds them properly." Jennie proudly high-fived Lisa. The Thai girl had been very sassy in Korean, even with her basic knowledge.

"I know, I know," Jisoo sighed. "So... if Lalisa-ssi can use chopsticks, why doesn't she?"

"She says she doesn't wanna lose all her Thai-ness," Jennie explained.

"I see." Jisoo nodded in understanding, finding common ground. Chu would never want to lose her Korean-ness, for sure.

"Let's request the moving arrangements after lunch." Jennie took a sip of her pear juice. "It shouldn't be too complicated, you just have to sign a lease and I have to give my approval."

"Sounds good." Chu was happy to hear that, she wanted to move as quickly as possible. If she lived here, then this would motivate her to get better. Yeah, that made sense in her brain.

* * *

Alone in her living room, Lisa danced along to the song they had chosen for July's group performance. She was figuring out the final moves to teach each girl the following day. Lisa's first guide was the original performance (if it had one) and then Lisa changed everything to make it less of an eyesore.

Lisa wrote some notes in case she forgot certain parts. Managing nine girls at the same time was tough, especially having to imagine it all in her head, but she was getting used to it. While there was no easy way to describe dance moves with words or drawings, Lisa understood herself and that's what mattered. She mostly relied on her muscle memory though.

 _Ugh, I miss Jennie..._ Okay, that was really random, but it'd be a lie to say it wasn't true. Jennie usually helped Lisa see how the dance would look from a third-person perspective, but Jennie had said she would be busy tonight. Was Jennie catching up on her studies? Was Jennie hanging out with Jisoo again? Well, Lisa wouldn't know. But what she _did_ know was that she wanted to see those dumpling cheeks.

The next morning, Lisa decided she would visit Jennie and have breakfast with her. _Knock, knock, knock_. She heard light steps coming her way, but the person that opened the door wasn't the one she was looking for.

"Oh, it's you," Jisoo said in Korean, ignoring the fact Lalisa wouldn't understand her. "Are you here for Jennie-ssi?"

Something, something. Jennie. Something, something. "Yes," Lisa answered in Korean and Jisoo let her in. That felt like she had told Jisoo a secret passcode to enter, _5555_.

Lisa took off her shoes and left them at the entrance. Thinking about it, she had never been in Jennie's apartment even though they'd been friends for four months. Jennie's dorm was way bigger than hers, considering it had a larger bedroom. It made the Thai girl wonder why Jennie kept practicing her dance at Lisa's.

"Who was it?" Jennie asked Jisoo, coming out of a room. "Ah, hey Lisa," she greeted in English.

"Hi..." Lisa felt small, not sure why. Maybe it was the piles of boxes sitting in the living room that made her trapped. "Um, can we talk?"

"Of course." Jennie sensed Lisa wanted to be alone with her, even when Jisoo couldn't understand English and was moving around all over their dorm. Jennie knew the feeling too well, Jisoo was pretty much a stranger to Lisa.

The Thai girl was led to the same room Jennie had come from. While they weren't allowed to decorate, Jennie's side of the room had vinyls of _Rihanna_ , _BIGBANG_ and _The Chemical Brothers'_ albums on the walls. She also had a few paintings, some of the art styles were similar to the ones they saw at Hongdae.

Everything was really clean and tidy, as if Jennie was like those old ladies who couldn't stand the sight of dust anywhere. She also had a small dresser desk with a laptop, some notebooks, fashion magazines, and makeup. The mirror had a few sparkly stickers spelling JENNIE in different colors. Her blanket was plain dark gray though, which was a bit too depressing for Lisa's taste, but the small dog doll laying on the pillow made the color more soothing.

Jennie's room was very chic and it said a lot about her. Of course, as of right now, it contrasted the other side filled with open boxes and random clothing everywhere.

Jennie sat on her own bed and patted the spot next to her. She was still wearing her sleeping clothes, but she had her pretty hair brushed.

Lisa joined her. "What's with the boxes?"

"Jisoo unnie just moved in. I was helping her unpack."

Lisa glanced at Jennie, quite glad she brought up _that_ word for her. "Are you and Jisoo... sisters?"

Jennie tried holding in her laugh but failed. "God, no. We only met a few days ago."

"Oh... then why do you call her unnie?" Lisa asked, her voice still full of confusion.

" _Unnie_ is an honorific for girls older than you, you don't necessarily have to be related. It's quite common, especially within girl groups. I'm surprised you hadn't figured that out."

"That makes sense, I guess." The only person their age Lisa listened to was Jennie, if she was being entirely honest, and Jennie hadn't used _unnie_ with anyone before. "We also use honorifics in Thailand, but it's not like... obligatory."

"That's so interesting. In Korea, it's a big deal. It's kind of disrespectful to not address someone older with an honorific."

Lisa panicked. "Have I been offending you all this time?"

Jennie shook her head. "Not in the slightest. I didn't have to use honorifics in New Zealand, so I didn't think much about it." Maybe she should have. While it was fine for her, others might've thought Lisa was being rude. But that was very unlikely, everyone knew about the badass Thai dancer who only got As ever since she arrived. "I can teach you some. The most common one is _ssi_. You can use it for anyone you don't know that well. You can get away with _unnie_ too, you're the youngest in our group."

Lisa put her hand over her chest. "Me?"

"Yeah, but... they might start calling you _maknae_ instead."

"What does that mean? I heard Jisoo say that."

"The youngest."

"Well... I don't feel comfortable calling everyone my older sister, it's kind of strange." Lisa couldn't see Jennie as her sister, the way they interacted was way too different. Sisters were supposed to fight, steal each other's clothes and annoy the hell out of you, Jennie did anything but that.

"That's fine. There's actually a lot of people who aren't comfortable with _unnie_ , so it's just better to ask if they're okay with it before you use it." Jennie smiled. "That was your Korean lesson of the day."

"Gamsahabnida!" Being here with Jennie like this, it made Lisa wonder why Jennie never asked her to be her roommate. It was a dumb thought, Lisa already had a dorm of her own, but that also didn't explain why Jennie never invited her here. Lisa pushed Jennie's shoulder lightly, whining in a high-pitched voice, "How come you keep coming to my place to practice when you have more space?"

Jennie giggled. "My teacher is really funny!"

"We would've been so much comfortable up here!" Lisa hovered over Jennie, tickling her sides. "You saw me stretch my long leg in my small ass living room and I almost hit my toe against the kitchen counter!"

" _Kekekeke_ , but you didn't!" Jennie couldn't help but grin, she was a ticklish girl.

"That's because I'm a pro!"

It was getting hard to breathe. "Stop, please, I can't take it anymore!"

Lisa immediately sat up, still on top of the Korean girl. Lisa kept her gaze on Jennie as she caught back her breath. Her forehead was sweating a little and she was still smiling from cheek to cheek. Last night's research had said something like... "Mandu bol!" Then Lisa kissed Jennie's cheek briefly.

"Eh?" Jennie gasped, stuck in place. She didn't know how she should feel about being called _dumpling cheeks_. It sounded cute, sort of. But at the same time, it implied that her face was bloated. About the kiss... she hadn't been prepared at all. It was fun when Jennie did it because she was the one in control, but right now she felt pretty vulnerable. "You didn't leave lipstick on me, did you?"

"Maybe just a little bit." Lisa licked her finger to clean Jennie's cheek, but she was stopped.

"I can do it myself." Jennie sat up and moved Lisa off her. She grabbed a wet wipe from her bedside table and started rubbing it softly on her face, glancing at her mirror to get the right spot.

"I like your room," Lisa stated happily.

It was so bizarre to hear that, considering Jennie hadn't spent a lot of time here lately. When she originally got her dorm room, she'd been really excited. It would be her first time living without any adults. Jennie's first roommate had been really nice to her, even when Jennie was still a shy mess, she got her to open up. A few months later though, the endless cycle of losing roommates had started. Tired, Jennie stopped asking people. Maybe she was cursed or something. _Yes_ , that's why she had said she preferred being alone, but she'd realized some people were worth the effort. "Thanks, me too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the love. Hope I gave our Chu some justice and also jealous Lisa. It was fun rewatching their first VLive together, their friendship is so unique and I can't wait to develop it. Their recent interviews and features on variety shows inspired me a lot and I ended up finishing this chapter in a week xd
> 
> I've mentioned this before, but I'm gonna get busy with my studies starting next week. I don't know how time-consuming it will be, but I'll try to write whenever I feel like it!


	8. Admiration In Disguise

They stayed a little longer speaking about everything and nothing. Jisoo had come back at some point to finish unpacking. Chu hadn't brought too much stuff, everything was mostly clothes. It made Jennie wonder why Jisoo kept using the same hoodie, especially now that they were in summer.

Jisoo didn't get involved in their conversation since it was in English. She was too concentrated on storing all her clothes in the closet. Once Chu was done, she exited the room and left them alone. That's when Jennie decided it was about time to pick her outfit for the day.

Lisa was laying on her stomach on Jennie's bed, reviewing her dance notes from yesterday. "I should practice my Korean too—"

Jennie had started undressing out of nowhere, pulling her sleeping T-shirt off.

Lisa buried her head in her notebook. "You need to stop doing that!"

"There's nothing to be embarrassed about." Whenever Jennie changed clothes at her place, Lisa instantly left the room. Jennie found Lisa's reactions hilarious, so she kept doing it. With the intention of making her comfortable, of course. "We're both girls."

 _Exactly, I don't wanna picture my friend naked... Wait, what?_ "I don't care. I never did that in Thailand, it's... _awkward_."

 _Note taken: Never take Lisa to a jjimhilbang_. "It's only awkward if you think it's awkward."

"Thai people cover up a lot, you know that... Anyway, are you done? I'm getting hungry."

"Yeah, yeah." Jennie decided she would do her makeup while they waited for their food to be ready at the café.

Lisa first peeked to verify Jennie's words and then she stood up. She put her notebook back in her bag and exited the room with Jennie.

All the boxes from earlier were gone, so Jisoo must have cleaned up. Chu was currently on her laptop with headphones on, really concentrated on whatever was on the screen.

Jennie glanced at her, getting her attention. "Unnie, we're going out for breakfast. Wanna join us?"

Jisoo shook her head, ready to continue her game. "I already ate, thanks for the offer though."

"Alright. See you later then." Jennie turned around and began walking out.

"Next time close your door when you're with Lalisa!"

Jennie blushed. Guess with unnie being the oldest, those sorts of thoughts would pop up if she saw Lisa on top of her, kissing her cheek. Jennie decided to ignore it for now, they were just having fun. Lisa wouldn't see her _that_ way, she was way too pure. But she had mentioned girls would crush on her, though... Of course Lisa was the type of girl to have boys _and_ girls crushing on her.

Jennie had seen many gay and lesbian couples in New Zealand, everyone there was so proud and accepting. When Jennie pictured love, she could envision some of those couples there. But in South Korea, you _never_ got to see that, as if it didn't exist. Jennie knew it was the same thing for Thailand...

Asian men love to tease girls when they're together, but when it becomes something serious, you're suddenly being harassed and shamed. At least that's how Lisa had perceived it in her hometown, when a girl had crushed on her in school last year. The girl's crush had been pretty innocent, disguised as admiration. But oh god had they gotten in trouble.

 _This girl..._ let's call her C for cutie. Lalisa and C didn't really talk in class, but C started coming to Lalisa's dance presentations after she saw her once on TV. When Lalisa noticed her in the crowd after a public performance, Lalisa ran up to her to say hi and she made it a habit ever since. C had told Lalisa she had only shown up for her, not necessarily We Zaa Cool. While that comment was sort of mean to her group, it made Lalisa feel special and seen.

Lalisa certainly loved the attention and stares she would get from C in the classroom. They decided to team up for science once. Lalisa was really good at it while C was more the _just tell me what to do, so I don't blow anything up_ type.

The more they spoke, the more comfortable and playful Lisa got with her. They hung out at each other's houses, visited local markets together while they drank street Thai milk. The good old days.

But one day at school, four months before Lalisa moved to Korea, C had asked her to stay after classes were over to talk. C walked to the back of the classroom, sitting on the cold floor. Lalisa followed her steps, sitting next to her.

_"I don't know how to say this, so I'll just say it. Liz... I have a crush on you," C confessed._

Lalisa had opened her mouth, but she had lost her words. She grabbed C's hand instead, it was shaking. _Do I like C? Do I like... girls?_ The love stories Lalisa saw on TV or read in novels, they were never in between girls. _Maybe C only likes me now that I look boyish?_ She had so many doubts she couldn't make sense of. _Liking girls? I can do that?_

_"I don't know how I feel..." Lalisa concluded._

_"There's only one way to know," C whispered._

_Lalisa just closed her eyes, letting whatever would happen..._ happen _. She received a soft kiss on her cheek, all the worries in her head becoming blank._

_"Do you feel warm?"_

_"I..."_

_"Come on, continue," a male voice said. He was an older student, probably in his last year of high school. "Make out."_

_Everything wonderful Lalisa had been feeling before was quickly gone and layered with fear. Even though she had let go of C's hand, now Lalisa was shaking herself._

_"Do it or I'll tell the teachers that you were kissing."_

_Romantic relationships were banned in Thai schools, the consequences could be really extreme. Still, C and Lalisa were way too shocked to even react, remaining frozen in time._

_The guy scoffed after a moment, leaving the classroom to do exactly what he said he would. When the girls were questioned by the principal, C was way too shaken up to talk. Whether they were into girls or not, they were still friends. They had to protect each other._

_"We're not a couple. I rejected that guy earlier today and he's trying to get back at me," Lalisa said firmly, her voice sounding deadly serious and unusual to anyone that knew her. "Besides, that's crazy. We're both girls," she added, hoping it would make her lie more believable._

_We're both girls..._ those words would haunt her forever. C had taken them to heart, assuming that had been Lalisa indirectly rejecting her. C began avoiding her at all cost and while Lalisa wanted to talk it out, she wasn't sure she even knew how she felt. _C was pretty_ , Liz thought that a lot. She also enjoyed spending time with her. But _was that love?_ It sounded so simple and complicated.

Maybe if Lalisa had loved her, then she would've fought for them. Instead, she moved on and kept pursuing her dreams of becoming an artist, participating in more talent shows and different auditions. She had to admit though, she felt a bit lonely without a familiar face in the crowd.

* * *

At night, Jennie and Jisoo met back at their dorm. They sat down and spoke about the current dramas in their separate groups. One of Jennie's members was starting to wild out and say she wanted to be the center, so Jennie told her to ask their choreographer. She did and Lisa just stared at her bluntly, not understanding anything that came out of the girl's mouth.

Meanwhile, Jisoo was given a place in the back for her lack of skills. That's when Jennie found out Jisoo was now in a group with some of her old members from PINKPUNK. It was so disappointing to hear how they were treating each other.

After that, they took showers and got ready for bed. Before turning off the lights, Jisoo looked at her dead in the eye. "There are no ghosts here, right?"

 _Okay, but why did Jennie attract people connected to spirits?_ "Um... I don't think so. I've never seen one in my eleven months here. I don't have that kind of sensibility though." Jennie yawned, stretching her arms. "Lisa does though. You can ask her."

Jisoo nodded. "Goodnight, Jennie."

"Goodnight, unnie."

* * *

She slowly opened her eyes, the morning light tempted to invade the room with brightness as the wind danced with the curtains. Jisoo blinked a few times, disoriented. Ah, right... she had moved in here yesterday. Chu checked the time on her phone. 6:21am. It was still quite early, her body not used to the fact that she could sleep in yet, so she could stay here for a little longer.

 _Alright, let's play games until seven o'clock. Then shower, eat breakfast at the cafeteria, maybe with Jennie, and finally go to class_.

Jisoo decided to continue her playthrough of _Portal 2_ , wearing headphones to not wake the younger girl on the other side of the room. The first game had been amazing, so she was excited to follow the story. Puzzle games weren't normally her thing, but she felt so smart whenever she figured out the solution to get to the next level. It also helped her focus for the rest of the day, which was a huge plus.

She stopped at seven on the dot, unconsciously obsessed with round numbers. At the same time, Jennie's phone alarm started ringing. The younger girl groaned and turn it off.

Jisoo left the room to take her respective shower and put clothes on, noticing Jennie was still in their bedroom after Chu had dried her hair. _Did Jennie's schedule start later today?_ That wouldn't make sense, Lisa was here yesterday to pick up Jennie around this hour. After all, Jennie's alarm did ring.

Jisoo opened their bedroom door slowly, peeking her head. As Chu suspected, Jennie was still sleeping. She looked really tiny. Well, that's because she is, just like Jisoo, but Jisoo couldn't really see herself from afar to comment on that. Jennie had a smaller head though, resembling a cat. Meanwhile, Jisoo's face was a bit larger, sort of like a rabbit. Not a monkey's.

Jisoo opened the curtains, making Jennie cover her eyes with her arm. Chu approached the sleeping baby and shook her shoulder, only earning annoyed grunts. Suddenly, Jennie pulled one of Jisoo's arms (with God-knows-what-strength) towards her, making her Jennie's little spoon. The younger girl held her tightly as Jisoo tried to free herself. "Get up, Jendeukie!"

The nickname seemed to have worked. Jennie had let go for a second, but that was just enough for Jisoo to get up. She grabbed a pillow and hit Jennie. "Bad Jendeukie!"

Jennie was now fully awake, protecting herself with her arms. "Jendeukie?"

"Yes, you're so clingy!"

"Sorry..." Jennie couldn't deny that. Whenever she had a sleepover, she tended to hold onto the person she was in bed with. She had never acted as recklessly as today though. Jennie had some trouble falling asleep last night. Normally, she just slept with the dog doll her mom had gifted her before she moved to New Zealand, but lately she had gotten used to sleeping with Lisa.

Since the Thai girl slept like a rock, she didn't mind Jennie cuddling her. And yes, Lisa was really skinny and there wasn't much to cuddle, but the feeling of having someone in your arms gave comfort and peace to Jennie's heart. Lisa was way better than the dog doll. _No offense, mom_. 

Now that Jennie was fully awake, she felt a bit nostalgic seeing Jisoo here. It'd been forever since she had a roommate.

"What's your first class?" Jisoo stored a water bottle, a notebook, and a pencil-case in her small bag.

"Dance with Kim Hee Jung."

"Ah, _Gamja Seonsaengnim_."

Jennie burst out laughing. _Potato teacher?_ "What does that nickname even mean?"

"Haven't you seen her backbone?" Jisoo articulated. "In my five days in YG, I've noticed that whenever she wants to roll her eyes, she arches her back instead. With the turning motion and everything. It's always when someone annoys her. That someone is me, _kekekeke_."

That made more sense. _Gamja_ also meant _Backbone_. "Are nicknames your thing?"

"Absolutely." Jisoo smiled proudly. "All the girls in my group are already calling her that _behind her back_."

Jennie tended to cringe at puns, but this one had been unexpected, making her giggle.

During her dance lesson, she couldn't stop thinking about Jisoo's nickname as she saw Seonsaengnim Kim Hee Jung arch her back every time a trainee messed up, as if she was so done with life. Once you knew, it was impossible to unnotice.

* * *

Jisoo ate her lunch as she stared at Lalisa in the cafeteria. The Thai girl was still using a spoon for full meals. But well, that wasn't what she wanted to talk to her about. "Hey, Lalisa."

Lisa finished chewing after hearing her name being called and looked up at the older girl.

"Are there ghosts in the dorms?" Jisoo asked in Korean and Jennie translated.

"Ani." Lisa shook her head. "But there's a strong energy in the dance rooms."

Jennie translated again, gaining some interest. Lisa had never mentioned that to her. _I guess it's because she was scared to even admit she sensed spirits_.

"I thought I was the only one who felt it!" Jisoo exclaimed. "I don't wanna scare you, but yesterday I saw a ghost in my dance practice. I asked out loud who it was, but my members just looked at me like I was crazy. I had to pretend it wasn't there."

"What did they look like?" Lisa asked.

Jisoo looked up, going through her memory. "It was a man wearing a suit. He was in the back of the room, where lights couldn't reach. I thought it might be someone important like Mr. Yang watching, but it would be weird for him to show up, wouldn't it?"

Jennie nodded before translating her description into English. "Mr. Yang only shows up for some evaluations. He also watches the evaluation and midterm videos, that's how he sees our progress."

Lisa didn't really know what the man in her night terror had looked like, just his body shape. It could be the spirit that haunted her in Thailand. All her previous night terror stories were similar to the one she'd experienced in Korea, she could never see the man's face. Lisa hadn't felt anything weird in the hallways or in Jennie's dorm. It was just that night.

Since then, Jisoo suspected that Lisa had lied about the dorms. Why? Because she stopped showing up to meet Jennie there for two weeks now. Not to mention Jisoo had gotten sleep paralysis the morning after seeing the ghost, that's why she had asked Lalisa in the first place. Chu had seen the same man in a suit. In the past, no one like that had ever showed in her nightmares. It was as if the suited man belonged in the agency.

After calming down from another sleep paralysis, Chu glanced at her roommate quietly sleeping in the bed beside her.

"Jisoo unnie..."

Chu raised an eyebrow, Jendeukie didn't seem to be awake at all. "Yes?"

"Could you _param param param_?" Jennie mumbled gibberish.

"Uh?" Jisoo asked confused.

" _Ram pam pam pam, pam pam pam_."

"What?" Jisoo sat up to look at her roommate properly, but she looked dead asleep. _The hell? Was Jennie a sleeptalker?_

Chu decided to drop it for now, it was gaming time. An hour later, when she turned off _Portal 2_ , Jennie's alarm rang.

The younger girl turned it off with eyes closed. Jisoo wondered why Jennie set an alarm this early if she would just keep sleeping after.

After Jisoo finished her shower, Jennie was using her phone while still laying down. "What did you need earlier?"

"Huh?" Jennie put her phone down.

"You were talking to me before I showered. I couldn't understand you."

"Oh, really? I don't remember..."

"You really are a sleeptalker!"

"That's not a word and no, I'm not!"

"How could you know? _Kekekeke_."

Jennie couldn't argue, that was true. "I'm gonna shower."

"Next time I will film you!"

* * *

That night, when Jennie came back to the dorms, Lalisa was with her.

"Hi, Jisoo-ssi," Lalisa greeted.

"Hey, Lalisa-ssi." Jisoo looked at Jennie strangely. "It's late, what are you guys up to?"

"In two weeks we have the next evaluation, so we're gonna practice. Will the noise bother you?" Jennie asked. "If so, we can go to Lisa's. It's just, there's more space here."

"Oh, don't worry about me. This is your dorm too." Jisoo realized she had never seen the two of them dance. "Can I watch?"

"Sure." Jennie smiled. "We're gonna have an audience tonight," she explained to Lisa.

The Thai girl smirked. "Cool!"

After Jennie got a roommate, Lisa had tried to give Jennie her space. Jennie had also mentioned that she should get used to being in her own dorm, so Lisa didn't push. They used the first two weeks of the month to learn the song and teach the choreography to the other members. Now that everybody knew the moves, it was time to practice their individual performances as well.

Jennie first showed Lisa her choreography and the Thai girl suggested some changes that honestly made a huge difference. Jisoo was surprised to see Jennie move with so much emotion. But what was even more surprising was how Lisa kept up with everything she did.

"How does she remember all your dance? You just showed her!" Jisoo gasped.

"Oh, right, you've never seen her dance," Jennie said. "Lisa can memorize any choreography in seconds. I don't know how."

"No way!"

"Name any song."

"Hmm... _Lucifer_ by _Shinee_."

"Lisa, can you do your thing with this song?" Jennie asked the Thai girl after typing the song into YouTube, choosing a live version so Lisa could see the full dance.

Jisoo watched as Lisa imitated some moves and tapped one of her fingers after a section was finished, as if she was storing what she'd just seen in there. When Jennie played the song for the second time, Jisoo practically had her mouth hanging open as she saw Lisa exactly replicate the four-minute dance.

"Wow..." Jisoo breathed out.

"The dance is kinda easy, we could do this for one group performance," Lisa commented.

"Baby PINKPUNK already did it, _kekeke_ ," Jennie laughed. "It was the first dance I had to learn. It was hard then."

Lisa decided to smile. "You were just a beginner though. I'm sure you were amazing anyway."

"Ugh, I wish. Mr. Yang told me I wasn't in sync with the others."

"They were probably not in sync with you," Lisa defended, sounding completely convinced.

Jennie rolled her eyes, but appreciated her words nonetheless. She started typing Lisa's individual song and the Thai girl started dancing.

Jisoo couldn't help but keep being impressed by Lalisa's dancing. She was a natural, for sure. "Not even Gamja Seonsaengnim is that good," she admitted after Lalisa finished.

Jennie didn't know if that was true, but she decided to deliver the compliment anyway. As far as Jennie knew, Lisa enjoyed their teacher's choreographies.

"Oh, gamsahabnida!" Lisa bowed down. _What an unexpected comment_.

"Seriously, you're incredible. I just keep bumping into my group members, _kekekeke_." Jisoo giggled.

"So that's why Gamja Seonsaengnim is annoyed with you all the time?"

"Part of."

"Potato teacher?" Lisa asked, understanding a couple of words from their conversation. After Jennie explained the nickname and translated unnie's story, Lisa offered her hand to Jisoo. "Show me group dance," Lisa said in Korean. Her sentence sounded incorrect, but it was understandable.

After a moment of hesitation, Chu took Lisa's hand and got up. She felt awkward while dancing because she knew she was clearly the worst in the room. She only showed Lisa the first half of the song, not wanting to take up all of their time.

"Dance with me," Lisa spoke in Korean again. She had tried to learn sentences related to dancing since she was the choreographer of PINKPUNK.

Amazingly, Lisa had memorized the choreography and managed to avoid Jisoo's rusty movements all the way.

"Your members just don't know how to dodge," Lisa concluded.

After Jennie translated Lisa's words, Jisoo felt a bit more confident. She wasn't the only terrible one in her group, after all. Chu stayed up for a couple more hours to watch them practice together, she admired the amount of time they spent practicing off class. That night, Jisoo decided she would join them the following day. Jisoo wanted to become as good as Lisa.

* * *

A week before evaluations, Jennie arrived an hour early to the dance room. It was time for all of them to practice the group performance together and she was nervous about her part. It was really difficult and she couldn't do it quite yet. Jennie's body still refused to adapt to the amount of physical activity they did every day. Whenever Jennie tried her part, she got tired right away. Last night, she had asked Jisoo to wake her up and that's why she was here.

Jennie turned on the music and attempted to do the dance sequence. She got everything right until she had to jump up. "Fuck!" she let out in frustration.

"Hope that wasn't a curse," a voice said by the doorway. It was Gamja Seonsaengnim, who had totally heard her swear in English.

"Sorry..." Jennie trailed off. "I thought I would be alone for a while."

Gamja Seonsaengnim entered the room and left her bag on a table. "That would be the case if it weren't the last week before the end of the month. You are never this early around this time, I'm surprised."

"I normally just practice at the dorms, but now I have a roommate so..." Jennie felt awkward. _Had she ever talked this casually with Gamja Seonsaengnim?_

"Well, feel free to continue. I'm here to help you, after all."

Jennie nodded, feeling a little relieved that the conversation was over. She tried the choreography again, but still couldn't do it. "Ugh!"

"Hey, careful!" the teacher exclaimed after seeing what she was trying to do. "You might twist your ankle!"

"I just wanna do well, Gamja Seonsaengnim!" Jennie cried, remaining on the floor after falling on her butt.

"Did you just call me a potato?" Kim Hee Jung arched her back as she suppressed an eye roll. "I'm serious though. You do that wrong and you will get hurt."

Jennie wiped her tears, feeling childish for crying in front of her teacher. "I promised I would be able to do it for the performance."

"Don't be stubborn, change the choreography. Trust me, if you get injured, you're not gonna be able to debut. I've seen it many times."

With those words, Kim Hee Jung turned away from her and exited the room, leaving her student alone with her thoughts.

Jennie decided to wash her face first in the bathroom. Gladly, Gamja Seonsaengnim hadn't gone here. Even after the cold water hit her skin, the same thing kept popping up in her head. _I have to do it, I have to do it_. This was a big opportunity to show off to the judges, this could finally prove she was a great dancer.

When Jennie returned, she decided to practice the rest of the choreography. Soon enough, the teacher returned and didn't say anything. Minutes later, the rest of the group arrived. Lisa was surprised to see that Jennie was already out of breath, so she let her rest for a little while.

Over the following days, Lisa hadn't seen Jennie do all of her solo part in the group dance. In practice, she just did an easy version of it because otherwise she would get too exhausted due to her motion sickness.

Listen, Lisa trusted Jennie with her heart and soul, and she also knew Jennie wouldn't back down from a challenge. But she just had to make sure as a fellow member and leader. "Can you do it?" Lisa asked her on evaluation day. They had already changed into their outfits for the group performance.

 _Lisa is really asking me this right now?_ Jennie gave her an angry cat stare, but you could tell she was very frustrated if you looked deeply into her eyes.

"Jennie..."

"You wouldn't know what it's like. You memorize a choreography as soon as you see it. You get As in all the evaluations, you don't hear the judges degrade you and your friends. You haven't seen dozens of girls go," Jennie snapped, her breathing unstable. God, she didn't even know what she was saying. "I'm sorry. Forget it."

"I know I'm lucky. You always tell me the criticism nicely and give me solutions right away," Lisa said softly. "I may not have seen girls I'm close to go because I have a hard time making friends here, but I'll be okay. I know you're the one who will always make it." Lisa took a step forward. "I believe in you," she added in Korean. "So don't give up."

Her soothing voice helped Jennie calm down. She had felt on edge over this lately. Jennie was sure she would have either had a panic attack or ruin her singing if she had kept her breathing like that. "I wouldn't..."

Lisa hugged her tightly and kissed her cheek. Then their group's name was called and they stepped into the center of the room. When she passed Jennie, she whispered in her ear, "Whatever happens, I got you."

Jennie didn't have time to know what that meant as the music started. Her body responded to the beat of the song, everything was muscle memory by now. Jennie did her best to ignore the nerves and not mess up her lines when her turn came up.

 _Here it goes..._ She tried doing the second jump, the one that would make her land perfectly in a standing position. Before she could fall, Jennie felt two firm hands hold her sides and pull her up to where she was supposed to be. On her feet.

Jennie had no time to process what just happened. She couldn't hesitate to finish the dance. Everything had been perfect so far, there was no way she was risking it again.

Moments later, PINKPUNK finally stood on their ending positions, heaving as they still tried to look pretty and confident.

Jennie was currently in the first row, so she couldn't see behind her. She glanced at the mirror wall in front of her, finding Lisa. The Thai girl just winked at her. _Okay, where did all that strength come from? Did Lisa secretly lift weights?_ I mean, when Jennie had used Lisa's arms as a pillow in their sleepovers, they hadn't felt bony, which is the case of most skinny people. Her arms were soft, but not chubby at all. Also solid somehow. They were just... _perfect_.

"Let's go," Lisa told her in Korean.

Jennie blinked and realized she was the only one not hurrying back to their seats. "Right."

Once they sat down, she couldn't help but gaze at Lisa, perhaps feeling more nervous than before. "Um... Thank you... about, you know, _everything_."

Lisa shook her hands dismissively, as if it was no big deal. "You need to tell me when you can't do a move though. We can always change it."

"But I promised you I would..." Jennie looked at the floor, finding shapes in the wooden textures. "And more importantly, I promised myself. I didn't wanna let PINKPUNK down."

"Well, you didn't. You couldn't." Lisa placed her hand on top of Jennie's, so she would turn back to her. "If we mess up, we mess up. You just have to make it seem like you didn't. Exactly how you did back there."

That sounded so easy, but it was something hard to believe. YG wouldn't settle for people who made mistakes. Jennie sighed, offering a sad smile. "Sometimes I'm glad you don't know Korean. The way the judges talk to the girls... It can be too hurtful."

"I can take it. I've been in competitions before, you know." Lisa squeezed her hand. "Don't worry about me... unless I'm hungry and the cafeteria is closed."

Jennie scoffed. "Don't tell me what to do." Regardless of the silliness, Jennie now felt ready for whatever the judges had to say.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The past week has been crazy. In case you don't know, I'm from Perú and there was/is a political crisis. I won't get in too deep about it, you can Google it, but two kids were murdered by the police in the protests, around 200 people were injured and others went missing (the police kept them hidden in certain stations, hit them, and didn't feed them). Everything is too fucked up. Every Peruvian felt the loss and grief, everyone had at least one person they knew that attended the protest. It could have been anyone.
> 
> That's part of the reason I took quite a bit updating.
> 
> Like I mentioned before, I have to edit a documentary and I've been busy with that, but as promised, I will write whenever I feel like it.
> 
> Please inform yourself on what's happening in Latin America, it's not just Perú. Recently Chile and Guatemala have been struggling in their respective political fights, it's even worse than here. If it's political, we need as much international attention as possible since the rats are the ones with power to stop it. Also, Costa Rica and Mexico have suffered from floods. Argentina is burning. Colombia and Nicaragua were affected by hurricanes.
> 
> Love ya and leave you for now, stay safe!


	9. Ethereal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> While writing this chapter, I decided to make a playlist with all the songs I've mentioned in the fanfic so far and I also included some that fit the mood of certain scenes. You'll see why I think this is the perfect time to share it as you read. Enjoy! 
> 
> https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBB7NwTNtnpEaUL7qJEY6mgEeFABpddpv

Every girl let out a held breath. PINKPUNK got to live another day. No one was eliminated this month. As expected, Lisa got all A's again. And surprisingly, Jennie did too. Lisa's save had looked completely natural to anyone that hadn't know what the original plan was. One of the judges mentioned that Lisa lifting Jennie up reminded him a bit of ballet, which was "a nice touch".

Jennie and Lisa decided they would hang out for the rest of the day, as of tradition by now. They separated at the dorms to take showers and change clothes. After styling her hair a bit, Jennie went to her bedroom and researched for local events happening on Friday. It was time to enjoy the summer, at least for a day.

When Jennie found the perfect match for them, Jisoo came home. Unnie entered the bedroom looking really moppy. Jennie knew that look too well. She had seen it a lot in herself and in others on days like these. "Hey..."

"Nyeongan..." Jisoo sat on her bed and glanced at her roommate. "How did your evaluation go?"

"Great, Lisa really saved my ass back there. Literally."

Chu smiled slightly, knowing what Jennie referred to. Last night, Jendeukie had been practicing her solo part in the group performance and Jisoo had caught her falling on her butt. _"It's rude to laugh!"_ Jendeukie had told her, but then she started laughing with her.

"So what about you...?" Jennie asked carefully.

"Well, I got C's on dance and group performance. B on singing, thanks to you. I wasn't kicked out, but I was the one who ranked the lowest." Jisoo looked down. "The judges weren't nice about it."

Chu had told Jennie she wanted to sing _Selena Gomez & The Scene's_ new song _Who Says?_ since she couldn't get it out of her head. The thing was, Jisoo didn't know English, so she had asked Jendeukie for help with the pronunciation of the lyrics.

Jennie nodded. "Same thing happened to me when I first joined, but look at me now. You just need more practice and experience. This life is really tough to get used to."

"I'm really disappointed in myself. I really tried, Jendeukie." Chu was glad she had cried before coming back here, otherwise she might be doing so now. But she hated it when people saw her crying, they only offered her pity. Jisoo didn't need pity, just solutions.

"Trying is not enough here, but you will get there. Just remember why you're doing this."

 _Why Chu is doing this...? I want to be an actress. If I'm being honest, I really love singing and dancing too, even if I'm bad at it. Do I really wanna give up because it's a little too hard? I've only been a month here. I will catch up with the rest. I won't be left behind_. "Thank you."

"Any time." Jennie stood up from her own bed. "We're free for the rest of the day. Wanna go out with me and Lisa?"

* * *

"Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God!" Lisa exclaimed, jumping up and down.

" _Jisan Valley Rock Festival..._ " Jisoo read the banner slowly, putting her arm over her eyes, which were bothered by the bright sun. "Oh, oh, I heard of this!"

"It's amazing," Jennie commented. "I've seen hundreds of videos while I was in New Zealand, but this is my first music festival in Korea."

"How are we gonna do about translation?" Lisa asked, only understanding the beginning of Jennie's sentence. "It must be tiring to go over me and Jisoo."

"Hmm... From what I've seen, Jisoo will just keep talking to you in Korean, so I guess you'll have to try your best."

"I guess this is my first Korean test in the field." Lisa tried to remember her vocabulary, hoping the words would make sense together. "What music person you want to see first?"

 _A bit weird, but understandable_. "Hmm, let's see," Jisoo answered, checking out the flier on the wall.

Jennie gasped. "We might be able to catch the last songs of _The Chemical Brothers_ if we run to the big top stage now!"

Jisoo's eyes widened by the speed of Jendeukie's words, full of overexcitement. Chu was sure Lalisa didn't get any of that, it was like Jennie had been rapping. "Better run, then!"

Lisa didn't know what was going on, but she went along with the girls when Jennie grabbed her wrist and dragged her to a big crowded area. _The Chemical Brothers_ had just finished a song and they were starting another right away.

"This is my jam!" Jennie exclaimed in English. _Galvanize_ was the band's latest single and she was really into it. She was considering performing it for the next evaluation.

Lisa stared at her as Jennie started rapping along with _Ed Simons_. The Thai girl easily felt the beat and began dancing as well. Jisoo was already enjoying herself while she hyped the girls beside her, who were showing off their talents unconsciously. The three were completely unbothered by the fact they were in the back of the arena, having the time of their life. It was as if that morning never happened.

 _The Chemical Brothers_ played two other songs before ending their set. The girls stayed for the next act by _DJ.DOC_ , a South Korean hip-hop trio. Everyone there recognized the first song, even Lisa. _Run To You_ was a 2007 classic. Both Jennie and Jisoo sang along to every single word while Lisa backed them up with all of the English bits.

After a few more songs, some people started leaving to catch another set, so the girls got closer to the stage. Seeing and hearing the artists up close was incredible, you could feel every note hit your body. The only downside to this was the amount of heat formed due to being in the middle of a crowd and, of course, the hot summer weather. That's why the girls decided to take a break once _DJ.DOC_ 's set was over.

They found the food court on their way out. Lisa spotted a chicken skewer post immediately and looked at her friends with puppy eyes.

"Dalg kkochi julkka?" Jisoo asked, sounding sort of like a mother.

 _You want chicken skewers?_ Lisa nodded repeatedly, understanding the older girl for a change.

"Great, I love chicken!" Jisoo high-fived the maknae. "You too, Jendeukie?"

Jennie mimicked Lisa, even raising her fists enthusiastically. Two children indeed.

Jisoo walked up to the food post confidently. "Give me three chicken skewers." She turned to the children. "Drinks?"

"Ye!" Lisa answered. "Milkeu chokollis!"

"And give me two chocolate milk as well."

"And strawberry juice for me!" Jennie added and then looked at Jisoo. "You know Lisa can order that herself, right?"

"No clue, but this is fun." Jisoo recollected the money from each girl and paid for everything.

"You drink chocolate milk with meat too?" Jendeukie asked as they waited for the food.

Chu shrugged her shoulders. "It sounded weird, so I wanted to try it."

"That's the spirit!" Lisa cheered. _Yes_ , she had looked for encouraging phrases just in case one of her members was feeling down. After seeing Jennie be upset earlier, Lisa wanted to be prepared next time.

"Well, at least she knows it's weird..." Jennie mumbled in English, obviously meant for Lisa.

"Ani, aniya!" Lisa argued.

Right on time, the girls received their orders. Jennie and Lisa stared at Jisoo expectantly, waiting for her unbiased opinion.

Chu had a bite of the chicken skewer first, having a positive reaction. _Delicious_. Then she tried the chocolate milk after. Chu raised her eyebrows in surprise and then nodded repeatedly, making an _mmm_ sound.

"You guys are sick," Jennie concluded.

"Try it, try it, try it!" Lisa chanted in Korean. Jisoo joined her shortly after, now in unison.

Jennie felt like Nemo when his fellow fish tank members shouted, _Sharkbait, ooh-ha-ha!_ Should Jennie give in? Well, it was more like giving up so they would stop, not because she was genuinely curious and wanted to join them. _Yeah, let's go with tha_ t. "Fine."

"Yay!" Lisa cheered and offered her her own chocolate milk drink.

Jennie grabbed it hesitantly. There was no way this would be good for anyone's stomach. Milk was thick and meat was greasy. "Here I go, I guess..." She wouldn't be stuck in the bathroom if she just had a bite. _Crunch, crunch. Sip, sip_. At first, it wasn't that bad. It's the aftertaste that made it gross. "Ugh, no. I can't."

Lisa hugged her side and gave her multiple kisses on the cheek, making Jennie close her eyes out of panic. "But you've had it now. I'm proud of you!"

Jennie couldn't really push her off. They were in a position where Jennie didn't wanna drop her food while Lisa was making sure her chicken skewer stick didn't touch Jennie's hair or clothes. "Aah, stop, it's not a big deal!"

Jisoo slurped her drink. "So Jendeukie doesn't like when others are clingy with her?"

"It's not _that_ , Lisa is just... showing her gratitude or something."

Lisa didn't get much out of that conversation, so she let go of Jennie. "What's a _Jendeukie_? Sounds cute."

"Jisoo's nickname for me," Jennie explained in English. "She combined my name with _Jjindeuk_ , which means clingy."

"Are you clingy...?" To Lisa, Jennie was the type of person who enjoyed her own company, the only times she could think of were... "Ah, in the mornings."

"Yeah, yeah."

"I think you should give Jisoo an equally cute nickname."

"Now _that's_ a great idea." Jennie smirked at her unnie, who just looked confused after hearing too many English words.

Chu stopped eating her chicken. "Huh?"

"Jisoo... Jichu... Oh!" _Bingo_ , "Chichu!"

"Uh? No!" Jisoo shook her head, her expression filled with horror. "That's too _aegyo_!"

Lisa started poking Jisoo's nose and talking in a baby voice, " _Ooh_ , who's Chichu? You are Chichu and Chichu is so cute!"

Jisoo broke her poker face and started growling at Lisa like a dog, which scared her away. "Don't ever call me that, _Nallalisamang_."

Lisa took some steps back and looked at Jennie with fear. "What did she just call me?"

"I'm not... sure." Even Jennie was surprised by the nickname. _Nallali_ means delinquent and _samang_ means death. _Was Jisoo insulting and threatening Lisa at the same time?_ If so, that was some clever nicknaming skill. "I would stop calling her Chichu though."

"Good girl," Jisoo suddenly said in English.

Jennie and Lisa glanced at each other instinctively and then burst out laughing. Her accent had sounded so cute, _Chichu_ worthy, but they saved their comments for themselves. Otherwise, they might get killed.

Moments later, they finished eating their food and were headed to the green stage. Jisoo was guiding them back to the big stage though, even when she'd said she wanted to hear _Apollo 18_ in the green stage.

"Yo, Jisoo. Not there," Lisa tried saying.

"Oh, you're right. Nice catch!" Then Chu turned to a different area and found the right stage. You see, Jisoo was really bad with directions, even when they were perfectly clear. For example, she took the train to the same school for 3 years and every once in a while, she would get off at the wrong stop.

Seeing Jisoo air drum to _Apollo 18_ 's _deadend_ made it clear to Jennie that unnie enjoyed that kind of angsty and grungy music. People at YG tended to be more into pop and hip-hop, but having a rock head in the company was really fresh. The three of them had a wide variety of music taste. They should show each other their favorite groups someday.

Lisa played the air guitar and Jennie joined in with the air bass, the three of them banging their heads to the rhythm. This reminded Lisa of the time she went to Hongdae with Jennie and they saw the live band together. Even though she'd been in Korea for four months now, that day was still her favorite. This one is definitely taking second place, and the best part was that the day wasn't over yet.

After _Apollo 18_ 's set, they headed back to the big stage to see _9mm Parabellum Bullet_. The j-rock band opened with _Survive_. You just knew from the guitar riff that the song was a banger. Jisoo sang along to all the Japanese lyrics and it sounded very sweet over _Sugawara Takurō_ 's rough vocals. In their elective language class, Jisoo had told Jennie she had learned a lot of words and phrases by watching anime and listening to Japanese music.

* * *

"The last song is _Kamome_ from our new album _Movement!_ " Takurō yelled. "Thanks for coming, everyone!"

Jennie turned to Lisa. Another dissonance, how someone could look so cute banging her head to the rhythm of the heavy drums. The Thai girl was wearing a sleeveless crop top with a yok dork pattern and light blue jean shorts with brown gladiator sandals. A beautiful summer outfit. The only thing that matched the rock atmosphere was her short black hair. It was kind of funny.

Lisa noticed Jennie was staring at her with a smile, so she walked even closer to her and took her arms from behind, waving them side to side in the air.

Again, dissonance. Lisa's happy attitude in their daily life. How she didn't listen to rock this heavy but would go with the flow. How she had the patience to teach Jennie and the members how to dance, even if it was past practice hours. How she probably missed her parents and friends so much, yet got up with a smile every day. _Lisa..._ She just loved what they were all doing, regardless of the pressure for perfection. Lisa didn't know how much Jennie admired her.

Lisa gave Jennie a back hug when the bridge of the song came. Her skin was warm in comparison to Jennie's, which had gotten a bit cold due to the sudden afternoon wind. _Kamome_ had a really nostalgic melody and it made them think about how one day they could be the ones on stage, expressing these feelings to the world.

When the song ended, Jisoo told them something in Korean Lisa couldn't figure out.

"Jisoo says, _Even though we can't understand each other properly, music connects us all beyond language_ ," Jennie translated.

Lisa nodded in agreement. Two Koreans and a Thai jamming to a Japanese band was certainly an interesting mix, _5555_. Even though she and Jisoo hadn't spoken that much today, they felt closer somehow.

While deciding whether to stay on the big stage or move to another for the last act of the first day, Lisa tried reading some of the band names. " _Goonamguayeoridingstella_ ," she pronounced very slowly. "Doesn't that mean _old man and woman riding a... stella car?_ "

" _Stellar_ car. You're correct!" Jennie clapped proudly. "Everyone just calls them _Goonam_ because their name is too long and confusing, even for Koreans."

" _Goonam..._ Oh, I think I actually know them!"

"You do?" Jennie gasped. They were a really underrated dreamy rock band. They were really chill in comparison to all the other groups they had seen today.

"I tried looking for the name of the local band we saw the other day in Hongdae and I came across them. It wasn't _Goonam_ , but they are really cool!" Lisa exclaimed.

"Let's go see them, then." Jennie updated Jisoo and then they headed back to the green stage. It was only fair they saw an artist Lisa liked, Jisoo and Jennie had been picking because Lisa didn't listen to the bands with English names. The Thai girl could only recognize the global acts of days two and three.

The sun was close to setting as _Goonam_ opened with _Shadow Dance_. They played a lot of songs from their latest album _Woojung Motel_ , which was very relaxing and gave the girls a break from all the running around they'd done all day. It was just the right mood for that moment.

They left the festival feeling ethereal. It had been so weird to step back into the real world after that whole experience. They were walking without direction at first. Surprisingly, it was Lisa that suggested they should find somewhere to sit because they might get lost.

The girls found a park around the block and sat on the grass beside a tree. Jisoo let out a breath as she laid down. "Wow, it was so cool!"

Lisa nodded repeatedly. "I'm... no words," she said in Korean.

" _Naega mal-eul haeyo,_ " Jennie said, sounding like she was still processing the experience. She had rested her back against the trunk of the tree, staring straight ahead. "I'm speechless," she translated.

" _Naega mal-eul haeyo,_ " Lisa repeated. She decided to use Jennie's lap as a pillow for her head, settling comfortably. The Thai girl smiled at the thought of how funny they might look, Jennie was really small in comparison to her.

Jennie started massaging Lisa's scalp subconsciously, her fingers finding Lisa's short hair very fluffy and nice. "I wanna perform on big stages," she said in English. Jennie already had a conversation like that with Jisoo unnie.

"Me too!" Lisa exclaimed, lifting one arm towards the sky, seeing its fading color through the leaves of the tree. "I see our group in bright lights. I... I see you next to me." Lisa bent her arm back to its former position, embarrassed.

"I see you too..." This is kind of weird to admit, but Jennie couldn't imagine her future without Lisa. They had completely turned PINKPUNK's fate upside down. The girl laying on her lap was made for this life and Jennie wanted to experience it together.

"Thank you for inviting me," Jisoo said in Korean. She'd been very bummed out earlier, but now it felt like that had happened ages ago. "I will never forget this day."

"I'm glad you came—"

"Jennie, does it rain in summer?" Lisa suddenly asked. She'd been trying to take a picture of the pretty sky with Jennie's film camera, but everything had gotten dark in a matter of seconds. "The clouds are—"

Jisoo might have understood the word _rain_ in Lalisa's question, probably thanks to _Selena Gomez_ 's song _A Year Without Rain_ , but unnie immediately got up and yelled, "Changma!"

As if on cue, raindrops began falling. Jennie looked at Lisa with panic. That's when the Thai girl understood the situation. They had to go now, otherwise they will get soaked. The two stood up in a heartbeat and flee the park.

Out of the three girls, Jennie was the best equipped to guide them to the nearest train station. As demonstrated before, Jisoo was awful with directions and Lisa just simply didn't know the city enough.

They arrived to the station with their upper bodies and shoes wet. Of course they should have brought umbrellas, it tended to rain a lot during this time of year. But since the girls spent most of their nights training or sleeping at the dorms, they forgot that the weather was something they should worry about.

Lisa saw her reflection in a metal pillar and burst out laughing. "My hair!" In any normal circumstance, Lisa would be really touchy with how her hair looked, but right now it was sticking out in a funny way.

" _Jeongjeog Lisa_ ," Jisoo commented, giving the maknae yet another nickname. She took a picture of _Static Lisa_ with her cellphone before she could do anything about it.

"Hey..." Lisa pouted like a sad puppy in response.

"Don't you have towels in your backpack?" Jennie asked in English. _Yes_ , Lisa had brought that thing again. Jennie couldn't complain though, it proved to be useful yet again.

"You're right!" Lisa quickly took two towels out and handed one to Jennie. The Thai girl dried her skin first, figuring her hair would get wet on their way out anyway. Her feet were also very cold, wearing these gladiator sandals hadn't been a good choice after all.

Jennie offered the towel to Jisoo since she was her unnie and looked soaked as fuck. Chu had been slower than the younger girls, even if she had been running for her life. It just showed how out of shape she was.

 _God_ , Jennie was tired. Thirty seconds of trotting and she was done for, but she had to pull through to reach their destination and get her friends to safety. Jennie kneeled down, feeling like she could pass out.

Lisa saw how Jennie made herself seem even smaller. She shyly kneeled down next to her and dried her face carefully with the towel she had finished using.

"Thanks..." Jennie trailed off, looking down. _I can do it myself_ , her inner self wanted to say, but right now she felt vulnerable and being taken care of for once was something calming.

All dried up (or at least as dry as they could get), Lisa remembered she had packed a jacket in her backpack as well. _Always prepared_. She took a glance at Jennie. The Korean girl was wearing a white sports bra and a silver necklace. Her jeans reached just above her ankles and her short converse were all wet.

Lisa didn't want to say out loud that the bra's fabric sucked and it was a bit see-through right now. "Here."

Jennie looked at Lisa with a dumbfounded expression. "Won't you get cold?" Lisa was wearing more revealing clothing than her.

"I'll be okay. I have strong Thai genes." Lisa flexed her muscles as a statement.

While her friend was still not making sense, Jennie decided to accept the jacket. Her cold sensitivity was becoming too already, that's why she got sick easily. Jennie couldn't risk it during her training days. At the same time, Lisa couldn't either... _Ugh_ , she felt bad. But Lisa was trying to act tough for her, even if she just looked like an idiot. Jennie deeply appreciated it.

"Don't you have another one of those?" Jisoo teased, giggling, and earned a shoulder bump from Jennie.

The train arrived a few minutes later. It was warmer inside, so they could get a proper breather in there. Jisoo sat by herself while the younger girls were next to each other.

"That Changma came out of nowhere!" Jisoo exclaimed.

"Right? It had been so sunny early. I forgot how crazy the weather was in Korea." Jendeukie turned to Lisa, who was resting her head on her shoulder. "Is it as crazy in Thaila—?" _Oh_. Lisa had fallen asleep. _Cute..._ "I swear she can do that anywhere."

"I'd be freezing, wake up frozen like Captain America." Chu was currently hugging her own body, wishing she could be home already. Making jokes would be the only thing distracting her from the cold. " _Ice Cube Lisa_."

What Jisoo said was completely unrealistic, but Jennie decided to interlace her arm with Lisa's in an effort to keep her a little warm. No _Ice Cube Lisa_ tonight. "She's like a kid that played too much, _kekekeke_."

"Oi, Jendeukie, can you teach me how to say something in English?" Chu whispered the sentence and Jennie scoffed.

"You wanna scare her?"

Jisoo unnie nodded with an innocent smile.

"Alright, alright."

* * *

Jennie shook Lisa's shoulder a bit. "Hey, sleepyhead, wake up. We're here."

Lisa opened her eyes slowly, all the city noise infecting her ears gradually. Jennie stood and helped Lisa get up. The reality of their situation hitting them again once they were out of the train, the humidity in the air was overwhelming and you could hear the rain pouring harder than before.

"Yo, Lalisa," Jisoo said, making the maknae turn around. "You drooled all over Jendeukie."

Lisa's eyes widened, making her turn to Jennie immediately. "I'm so sorry, I'll buy you a new jacket!" But the more Lisa analyzed Jennie's expression, the more it looked like she was holding in a smile. What was weirder though, was that Jisoo had talked to her in English. As far as Lisa knew, all the English Jisoo could speak were song lyrics. "You, guys!" Lisa whined, realizing she was being pranked.

"I'll buy you a new jacket?" Jennie chuckled. "It's _your_ jacket!"

Jendeukie translated what Lisa said in between laughs and Jisoo easily joined her.

"Anyway," Lisa said a bit loudly. "We gotta get back to the dorms."

"Right..." Jennie hummed. She looked around the station and found a sign that read _Lost & Found_ in Korean. She held her index finger up, indicating the others to wait for her.

"What she doing?" Lisa asked in Korean.

"Umbrellas are cheap but, because they're so cheap, people don't care to lose them. She's probably asking if she can have some of them. Smart."

None of Jisoo's words really registered, but it made a bit more sense when Jennie returned with three umbrellas and gave one to each girl.

Chu pointed at the umbrella, looking at Lisa. " _Usan_."

"Ah." Lisa's mouth stayed half open for a second. _That's easy to remember_. "Usan."

"They were _ilh-eobeolin_ usan," Jennie said sadly. "But not anymore."

If Lisa remembered correctly, _ilh-eobeolin_ meant lost. She had learned phrases just in case she became a lost umbrella. Fortunately, Jennie had found her.

While they could go slower now, the girls were still very underdressed for the rainy night. Just imagine them walking hurriedly as they mumbled things like "cold, cold, cold" and "ice cube Chu".

Once they reached the YG dorm lobby, they were welcomed with AC warmth and worried looks. The girls decided they should hurry upstairs and have hot showers before anyone could question them.

In her dorm's bathroom, Lisa glanced at herself in the mirror. She looked... _terrible_ —her eye makeup made her resemble a raccoon, her hair was all over the place and her expression lacked confidence. She stepped in the shower. _Let's just get on with it_.

She reunited with Jennie and Jisoo after an hour at their dorm. Lisa was now more comfortable in a bumblebee yellow hoodie, black pajama shorts and long socks.

" _Beol_ Lisa," Jisoo said when she opened the door.

"Annyong." Lisa entered the dorm and sat on the kitchen counter, where Jennie was making tea for everyone.

"Aren't you overdoing it a little?" Jennie commented, pouring the tea in their cups. She had chosen a lilac cup with a puppy for Lisa, a galaxy design for Jisoo and a floral one for herself. "You've given her like four nicknames today, unnie."

Chu shook her head. "That's the normal amount, Jendeukie. If she only had one, then that would mean she's boring."

"Wait, don't I have one—?"

"Oh, cute!" Lisa beamed at her puppy cup. While she preferred cats, Jennie saw her as this little dog wailing its tail happily. At least that's what Lisa hoped.

"Right?" The other day Jennie had gone to the supermarket and there were these adorable mugs on sale and Jennie couldn't stop herself from buying them. I mean, her dorm was getting crowded lately. It was totally justifiable... _Okay_ , being honest, Jennie was running out of money quicker now that she had friends, but the difference was that nowadays she felt more whole.

* * *

You know when in concerts you tend to sing your lungs out because everything is too loud and you're just having fun? Jennie, Jisoo and Lisa hadn't known that.

"Good morning," Jennie tried saying, but her voice came out really hoarse and raspy.

Jisoo chuckled, but even her laughs sounded faint. They looked at each other with fear.

The two girls ended up going to classes anyway, even with their colds. Jennie couldn't miss the first PINKPUNK meeting of the month and Jisoo needed to improve so much it wasn't even a choice. Lisa skipped like any other month and hoped to heal by the end of the day. Besides the sickness, they all had another thing in common: They didn't have a single regret.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How are you doing? I have good news for you all, I finish classes next week, so I'll have more free time to (hopefully) write. I mean, it always just depends on my mood anyway, but I'm glad to see a lot of people are enjoying the fanfic. Thanks for reading. I don't think I'll have another update ready for a little while, so happy holidays if you celebrate them and hope you all have fun in The Show!
> 
> If you're into that fandom business, stream How You Like That MV 🖤💗


	10. Worlds Collide

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You thought I wouldn't update in a while? Sike. But for real, I realized after I started writing this chapter that it should drop on Christmas. Plus, The Show got postponed. I really wanted to give you all a gift. Enjoy!

The next four months were spent in a similar way, minus the getting sick part of course. But a lot of new things happened as well. The rock festival inspired Lisa to pick up guitar. She tried it for a few weeks but gave up when she couldn't do the difficult chords, so she decided to switch to the ukelele instead. It _is_ a smaller instrument, therefore she would be able to reach any chord. Also, Jisoo started taking English classes and now she understood some of the basics.

Training-wise, Jennie and Lisa were doing their best to level out everyone in PINKPUNK. Meanwhile, Jisoo had become one of the best performers in her group. She was even told by Mr. Yang that she was a confirmed member of F21, future _2NE1_ , YG's only girl group at the moment. Hard work paid off. Well, the fee had been a lot of feet injuries and hospital visits but hey, Chu had never been more motivated to keep going.

Sitting in the main dance hall with PINKPUNK, Lisa noticed how long the judges were taking to give them their November results. She glanced at Jennie. The smaller girl was shaking, so Lisa took her hand and secured its grip. Even after a year, Jennie couldn't calm down during an evaluation day.

Shortly, one of the YG juries began naming each girl and their final grades as if everything was fine. This person had to be evil, Jennie was already feeling sick.

The last girl remaining was called out. She was one of the older girls in PINKPUNK. The judge looked at her with disgust. "Miss, we've seen what you've been doing in _Yanghwajin Seongji_ Park."

The girl's eyes widened and filled with fear. Lisa remembered that was the name of the park where she met up with Jennie for their _Hongdae_ outing.

"You know the rules. No matter how good you are, you're not allowed to smoke. We kept tabs on you after one of our staff members caught you. You do it regularly, Miss, and that's unacceptable." The judge crossed his arms. "Smoking, drinking, dating, tattoos—that's all banned. It's part of the contract everyone signed before joining the agency. You are now prohibited to become an idol under our management."

This wasn't the first time a member got kicked out because they broke their signing contract, but the company tended to take care of all the details behind closed doors. They normally just fast-forwarded this process to members, up to the part where someone was suddenly gone and wasn't replaced unless it was around the end of the month.

Expelling this girl in front of everyone seemed more like a warning for the rest. _Don't fuck up or you'll be next_.

Jennie and Lisa returned to Jensoo's dorm with a strange feeling. They decided it would be best to just talk it out with unnie, so their feelings would make sense out loud.

Jisoo opened up the front door half an hour later. She was already wearing her normal clothes and she looked like she had run back here, her breath uneven. "Hey, Jendeukie, _Gin Dalisa_ , did you hear the news?"

Taking a second to slow down and analyze their faces, Chu realized they look extremely confused. Even a little scared.

"No, what's up?" _Why did unnie look so excited?_ Jennie wondered.

"Is your group debuting?" Lisa asked. Her Korean vocabulary and grammar were slowly getting better, but there was still a whole lot she didn't know.

Jisoo cocked her head back. "No, no. The opposite."

Jennie raised an eyebrow. "Then did your group split up?"

"Kind of, yeah." While Chu had improved her singing and dancing tremendously, the other members just became more and more discouraged by the impatience of debuting. Was that a coincidence? A consequence? Hopefully not. But tons of people had quit as soon as their contracts were over and Jisoo's original formation from July was long gone.

When Chu was told where she would be transferred, she had blinked at least twice. "I'm the new member of PINKPUNK!"

"Oh my god..." Jennie gasped, not really knowing how to react. _I had never felt so glad to lose a member?_ I mean, Jennie had nothing against the girl that got kicked out, but it'd been really careless of her to smoke in such a public place.

 _Jisoo, though_.

Jisoo joining PINKPUNK was like a puzzle piece finally finding its exact place after trying with all the other options. It had taken such a long time, but her persistence had gotten her where she belonged. As far as Jennie knew, Jisoo had always been a part of PINKPUNK.

Jennie hugged her. "Welcome, unnie."

Once they pulled away, Lisa smirked and gave Jisoo a fist bump. "Don't make me dodge _too_ much."

"I'll step on you on purpose," Jisoo answered, but Lisa just offered a genuine smile. She hadn't understood Chu at all.

Jennie chuckled. "We won't go easy on you."

"I'm not scared." Jisoo had seen them train for months now and had joined them multiple times. If anyone was ready to adapt to Jennie and Lisa's pace, it was her.

But since the year was ending soon, Jisoo only got two weeks of proper training with PINKPUNK. You see, classes were suspended during the Christmas holidays to spend time with their families and it would be quite illegal to overwork minors all 365 days of the year. It was a bit of a bother after getting used to a routine, but everyone could use a break from the competitive atmosphere. That didn't entirely free them from the December evaluation though. You were supposed to practice in your time off, which seemed kind of pointless. But at least they didn't have to think about their language and performance lessons.

Jennie didn't have a big family, so she would just hang out with her mom. Since her mother was single, the holidays could get a bit lonely. Well, it's not like her mom really needed her after Jennie was away for four years in New Zealand and fifteen months training, but I think that's more of a reason to be with her. That's what was in Jennie's mind when she left the dorms. She had said quick goodbyes to Jisoo and Lisa, and then was out the door.

Jisoo was considering staying a bit longer in the dorms. The reason she had moved out was to, you know, have some space. Of course she would be with her family on Christmas, but the day seemed miles away now. Being here felt like a workplace somehow, her mind in the right place. Chu had to perfect the group performance, Lisa's choreographies were pretty tough to say the least.

_Speaking of that maknae..._

Lisa got up early, ate in the cafeteria, and arrived early in the practice room. It was when she had spent too much time dancing on her own that she remembered no one was coming.

She was fine on her first day alone but, because she's too energetic, she got bored easily. So Lisa decided to explore Seoul by herself. It was sort of fun in the beginning, but having no one to share this with was... _underwhelming_. Her mind always went back to Hongdae with Jennie. Lotte World with Jennie. Music festival with Jennie.

That's when Lisa went back to dancing by herself. Music is what could always cheer her up, but things never tended to go her way. For some reason, she felt very emotional when _Singular_ 's _Bao Bao_ played on shuffle.

_This one heart, why does it have to want so much and be so complex? If you care a little about me, that's enough for us to do a lot of things together now._

_Sometimes it's okay if you are far. Sometimes I understand if you've forgotten me. "Sometimes" is discouraging but don't regret it, just let it be._

_Think of me when you're not thinking of anyone else..._

Lisa's chest felt heavy, her world suddenly angsty. Maybe this was part of being a teenager, she had heard girls normally had mood swings because of their hormones. Lisa never had a problem with them in the past, being constantly happy and full of life. She wasn't sure how to deal with... whatever this was. One was thing was clear though, she couldn't stop thinking about _Bao Bao_.

At some point, she picked her ukulele from the instrument storage and returned to the practice room, looking for tutorials online. She didn't know how much time had passed, but she learned the song that evening. Lisa often struggled to learn a whole track quickly, but _Bao Bao_ was within her capacity.

" _Tur gup chun yung dtaung dern tahng glai, kong mai sai pai hai welah gup jai dai rian roo..._ " Lisa sang softly as she played the ukelele.

"I was sure I heard something!" someone exclaimed in Korean, standing by the doorframe.

Lisa turned towards the voice. "Chu?" The Thai girl honestly thought Jisoo had left a week ago, just like Jennie.

"What are you doing here?" Jisoo walked up to her, kneeling beside her. "I thought you'd be in Thailand right now."

Lisa shook her head. "I can't afford that. I talk to my mom on the phone every day though."

" _Hmm..._ " Well, Jisoo had pretty much stayed in her room practicing and playing games. She only went to the YG cafeteria whenever she felt hungry, which was at odd hours. It would make sense of how she hadn't come across the maknae.

After having a late lunch meal, Jisoo had been passing by and heard music on her way out to the dorms. Chu's a curious girl, so she decided to check it out. _Who would be in YG on Christmas Eve...?_ Someone who didn't have anywhere else to go.

"Pack your things, let's go."

Lisa tilted her head to the side. "Huh? Where?"

"My house."

* * *

Maybe Jisoo should've thought this through a little more, but seeing Lisa so depressed had made her feel like she had to do something about it. "So, do you celebrate Christmas?" Chu asked on the train.

"Kind of. Like, not for... _um_... the usual reasons." Lisa didn't know how to say religion in Korean yet, she would have to look that up later. "Thais just like having a reason to party."

"It's quite similar here since most people aren't Christians either. Christmas is more of a couple's celebration, but anyone can still eat a nice dinner with their family and give gifts."

"Ooh, interesting..." Lisa got half of that. Christmas was something for couples here? _How strange_. But dinner and gifts sounded great.

"Did you ever believe in Santa?"

Lisa shook her head. "We don't really believe in those things... He's more like a tourist attraction."

"Ah, I see. I only thought so until preschool. I'd caught my parents putting the presents under the tree one night, but I pretended I didn't see it so they would keep doing it."

Lisa giggled. Jisoo suddenly got up and it seemed they had reached their destination. Chu's house wasn't that far from the station, so they only had to walk a little.

The Thai girl started feeling nervous as Jisoo opened the door. She hadn't been to anyone's actual house since she came to Korea, just the dorms. Was she supposed to act a certain way?

Jisoo's house was quite big. She had mentioned something about previously living with her grandparents, parents and older siblings, so it was understandable.

"I'm home!" Jisoo said when she entered and then took her shoes off.

Lisa followed her steps shyly. When she came across Jisoo's grandparents in the living room, she bowed down instantly. " _Annyeonghaseyo, jeoneun Lisaibnida!_ " she said quickly.

Jisoo laughed at her. "She's the maknae from our group."

"Hey, I'm more than that!" Lisa exclaimed, pouting her lips. "I'm the choreographer in PINKPUNK. Also, I'm from Thailand, so I'm sorry if my Korean is bad."

"That's alright, come sit down." Jisoo's grandmother led her to the couch. "The food's still cooking, so make yourself at home. Chu, go set the table."

"Yep, yep," Jisoo mumbled and disappeared into the kitchen.

Jisoo's Grandma seemed awfully familiar. You see, Lisa had a great memory for faces. Where could she have met her? It wasn't at the coffee shop, plus, she lived quite far from the agency. It wasn't at Hongdae or the festival either, so then it would have to be... the amusement park.

 _Huh?_ That didn't really make sense. Why would an old lady be at an amusement park? Suddenly, it hit her. This was the poor woman Jennie had lied to, saying she was her granddaughter. _Damn, how I wish Jennie was here. It would be so much fun_.

Where Jennie and Jisoo _that_ alike? Enough for Chu's Grandma to confuse them? I mean, even Lisa considered they could be sisters. Their personalities are definitely different, but they're around the same height, similar hair color, and... no, that was it.

After swimming out of her sea of thoughts, she realized Chu's Grandpa was watching TV. He was sitting on another couch, drinking hot chocolate with marshmallows. Whatever he was watching looked really intense. Was it normal to air dramas during Christmas Eve? Or was it like Thailand, where they didn't consider Christmas a holiday? That couldn't be, otherwise the trainees wouldn't have a short break.

Lisa turned around when she saw Jisoo setting the table. She only put four sets of cutlery, meaning no one else would join them tonight.

Grandma told Chu that her parents were on a date and that her siblings had stayed in their college campuses. They studied in other Korean cities, so it made sense if they couldn't make it. That was alright though, Jisoo didn't wanna scare Lisa too much. Her family could be overwhelming.

When Chu finished, she sat down next to Lisa. "What are we watching?"

" _49 days_ ," Grandpa answered.

" _Ooh_ , I never got to see the lasts episodes." Jisoo looked at Lisa. "Have you watched any K-dramas yet?"

The Thai girl shook her head and Chu gasped.

"You have to!" Jisoo grabbed her hands enthusiastically. "They are so good and the acting is amazing. This one is actually very cool. This girl has an accident and becomes a type of ghost. She has to get three tears of pure love or else she will die!"

 _Okay, too many words_. But the bits she understood sounded interesting enough. Lisa remained watching, not getting a lot of the dialogue. But you could sort of understand what was going on with the context, facial expressions, and actions.

She didn't know for how long they had been watching, but she had to blink at least twice to realize Chu's grandmother was calling them over for dinner.

"You liked it, didn't you?" Jisoo teased. Her friend had been paying a lot of attention and she also reacted to a bunch of the surprising scenes, eyes fixated on the screen.

As you all know, Chu loved acting. These kinds of series are what inspired her to pick it up. She would often impersonate characters with her dad for fun and it had become her thing.

Once Lisa sat down, she beamed at the shiny food served on the table. It was a mix of everything she had tried with Jennie, like bulgogi, japchae, and kimchi. There were also rice cakes and fruits, which reminded her of her mom's cooking. " _Jal meokkessumnida!_ "

Jisoo smiled. Lisa had really learned a lot. It was always fun talking to her while pretending she could understand you. Chu would say the weirdest shit and Jennie would just laugh in the background as Lisa doodled in her notebook or danced around the bedroom. One day though, Lisa had commented on one of her stories and Jisoo had been shaken.

"This is delicious!" Lisa exclaimed after having her first bite.

"Have you been enjoying Korean food?" Grandma asked.

The Thai girl nodded. "I love everything I've tried so far. I've tried these dishes before and you can tell these were made with love."

Jisoo wanted to make fun of Lisa for the cringy sentence, but her family had seemed to appreciate her words.

After that, Chu's grandparents asked Lisa the typical questions about Thailand. How the food was, the people, festivities, etc. It was always interesting to hear her speak about her hometown. You could tell Lisa really missed it.

Must be strange for her, having to use chopsticks and be forced to learn another language. But like Jennie once told Chu, they couldn't really complain they'd chosen this life.

The dinner conversations were over around 9 o'clock. It was still pretty early in the night. "Can we watch that series from earlier?" Lisa had asked her shyly.

Chu nodded. "I have the DVDs, _kekekeke_."

Lisa raised both arms in the air. "Yaaay!"

They binge-watched the first episodes until they got tired and fell asleep. Turns out the two got really obsessive with shows. Lisa usually finished them in one sitting while Jisoo wouldn't be able to sleep unless they reached an episode where there was a break from all the drama.

* * *

Jennie had felt weird when she got back home. I mean, it had been nice to get rest and everything. She also had time to create handcrafted jewelry and prepare homemade kimchi with her mom. While Jennie genuinely enjoyed all that, training had always been in the back of her mind. She just felt like she was ought to have a busy life. Doing simple things seemed plain and a waste of time. This had been the reason she had moved out in the first place. There were too many distractions here, things that weren't going to be useful to achieve her dreams.

"Jennie..."

Jennie finished dancing, just noticing her mom in her full-length mirror. "How long have you been staring?"

"Just enough to say you need a break." Mom walked towards her. "Remember you can't push your body too hard."

"But I have to!" Jennie snapped. For some reason, she had felt like her privacy had been invaded. "I don't want anyone to tell me I'm not good enough for this. Not anymore."

Mom sat down on her daughter's bed and motioned Jennie to do the same. "Don't lose confidence, don't let _them_ break your confidence. Always be confident. Show them how it's done."

Jennie took her words in. Despite all the critics, she had tried her best to not let the YG staff and the mean members get to her. When the judges used to tell Jennie she was too slow or too quiet or too loud, it had felt like blades piercing through her chest after a month's efforts. It was unfair and heartless but at the end of the day, time and effort didn't matter. Just the final results.

Mom pinched Jennie's cheeks, interrupting her thoughts. "But do it when you're not on vacation."

"Okay, okay, but stop it!"

* * *

Lisa and Chu stayed over at Jisoo's house for a few days to finish the show, which had twenty episodes in total. In the meantime, Lisa met Chu's parents and the dynamic between them was hilarious. It reminded her a bit of her own parents, which made her nostalgic. It was sad to not have them around.

The two returned to the dorms, ready to get back in action after practicing together every now and then. When Lisa first saw Jennie, she hugged her tightly and kissed her cheek. "I missed youuuu!"

Jennie squinted her eyes, not expecting this much attention upon her arrival. "I was just gone for two weeks, Lili."

Lisa pulled away. "Lili?"

"You see, I made these bracelets and I didn't have a lot of letters... A lot of L's, I's, and N's left. I remembered that time you called me Nini, so I thought you could be Lili. Our own cute names or something. _Um_ , so... I also wanted to give you something after you bought me that bracelet in Hongdae." Jennie handed her a small present bag after that nervous speech, but she had to be bold and stay confident at all times.

"Oh my god, this is so pretty!" The bracelet had a golden chain with letters spelling _LILI_. It also had a sun, an elephant, and a dolphin charm attached to it. "Thank you, thank you, thank you." Lisa gave her more kisses on the cheek with each _thank you_.

"I read that Asian elephants and Irrawaddy dolphins are really popular in Thailand, so I wanted to give you something that would remind you of home. And the sun is because... Well, you light up every dark atmosphere," Jennie explained. She was really ranting at this point, but this was her first time in a while giving a close friend a gift. "Wait, are you crying? Don't cry or you'll make me cry too."

Lisa had watery eyes and was trying to blink her tears away. Jennie had been so thoughtful while Lisa had just been moping around, being lonely. She should have prepared something like this. It's just, Buddhists didn't really celebrate Christmas, so that hadn't even crossed her mind. Gifts were more for a birthday occasion. "T-this means a lot. I'm so happy I've met you, Nini."

"Lili..." _Yup_. Jennie was definitely crying now. "I'm happy I've met you too."

* * *

Once they'd calmed down, Lisa didn't wanna say _thank you_ with words only, so she dragged Jennie into the instrument room. Since Lisa hadn't planned any dance for Nini, she decided she would play a song for her instead.

Lili checked if her ukulele was still in tune and then began performing _Bao Bao_ for Jennie, pouring out everything she'd been feeling since that April day. Luck. Passion. Love. Happiness.

Dedicating a song to someone takes a lot of courage. It's like a confession of love. Imagine the person doesn't like you back and then that song is completely ruined for you forever, no matter how much it used to mean to you in the past.

This was the first time Jennie couldn't understand Lisa. Besides the fact that she was singing in Thai, what was her intention? Just saying thanks? That seemed too dull for Lisa, considering she didn't like playing in front of others. Lisa was still new at playing instruments and after her guitar fail, she felt a bit embarrassed.

"That was beautiful..." Jennie would be lying if she said Lisa's Thai song hadn't made her heart flutter. Whatever Lisa had meant, it'd made Jennie feel warm and whole.

Jennie had never heard Lisa sing a ballad that wasn't from a Disney movie. Her voice was full of emotion and went well with the ukelele.

Seeing Lisa smile so brightly, it made Jennie believe that she might be overthinking this. Maybe Lisa just wanted to sing a song to her because music made her feel happy and she wanted to share that feeling.

* * *

When Jennie returned to her dorm, she caught Jisoo playing a game on her laptop. "Hey, Chu!"

Jisoo paused. She got a different vibe from Jennie already. Had something happened at her mom's place? "Hi..."

"So..." Jennie held something behind her back, swaying her body from side to side. "I made you a gift."

" _Oh?_ "

"Here." Jennie gave her the present bag and Jisoo had a lot of things going through her mind once she saw what it was.

It was a nifty silver bracelet... spelling _CHICHU_.

"I had a couple of C's and H's, so I said why not?" Jennie commented, her nerves from earlier totally gone.

"You could have written _Chu_ , you know."

"Well, I first made one for me and Lisa with our cute names, so I felt like I had to stick to the theme."

Jisoo stepped forward and lifted Jennie's wrist. "This doesn't say _Jendeukie_."

"Too long." Her roommate rolled her eyes. "Next time I'm only giving a gift to Lisa, she has better reactions. She cried and played a Thai song for me."

Jisoo squeezed her wrist. "Hey, I'm grateful, even though you know I hate _Chichu_. Thank you, Jendeukie." Pause. "Wait, Lisa sang to you?"

"Yeah, it was very sweet." Jennie turned around and smiled as she sorted some of the things she had taken to her mom's.

Chu giggled. _They really have it bad_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A lot happens with PINKPUNK in 2012, so I'm excited to move forward to a new year (as well as in real life because 2020 was awful). 
> 
> I'm really close to finishing my career and, to anyone asking, I got all good grades and my final project turned out amazing. There are still things I need to fix for the documentary to be ready for film festivals but now that there's no pressure and deadline, we can take it easier. I'm gonna focus on making song demos too, which I'm happy about because I've had these songs written for years. (Catch me on Soundcloud @/veronicaguzman if you want. I posted a demo earlier this month. Keep in mind I'm no producer, but I was proud that I managed to compose everything myself and pulled a decent mix).
> 
> PS. Sorry not sorry to Chaelisa sympathizers. I know "Bao Bao" is supposed to be their song, but this makes more sense to me (And you guys still have L.O.V.E, which is the cutest cover ever!). Lisa knew how to play the song before she befriended Rosé. And also, just think of this as a seed bound to grow in the future for dramatic purposes ;)


	11. Enough Maybe's

Even though they hadn't practiced together for most of the month, the December evaluation was a complete success with Jisoo in the team. This just showed that the current PINKPUNK lineup was dedicated and compromised with their goal.

Making it seem otherwise, Lisa still skipped the day after. This time to binge-watch k-dramas recommended by Chu, who let her borrow some DVDs she could play on her laptop.

" _You have a problem,_ " Jennie had told her once, when she caught Lisa watching an episode before anyone arrived at the dance room.

A few days later, Jisoo's birthday came up on January 3rd. All the PINKPUNK members bought her a small chocolate cake to eat by herself. They had learned that Chu loved sweets and didn't like sharing them in her short time in the girl group. Naturally, Jisoo had easily befriended everyone with her charismatic personality and nicknaming talents.

" _You were the one who invented_ _Gamja Seonsaengnim?_ " Miyeon had asked her. " _Legend_."

A birthday didn't mean she'd have a free day, so the day passed by like any other. Jisoo told the members that they didn't have to do anything for her birthday, it wasn't that special. Chu didn't like unnecessary attention. Still, at lunchtime, the chefs brought _miyeok-guk_ for Jisoo. Having beef seaweed soup on your birthday was an old Korean tradition and Jennie had told the cooks about it beforehand.

They sang _Happy Birthday_ to her while Lisa just clapped in support, not knowing the Korean version of the song, and then they finished the rest of their classes of the day.

* * *

The following week, when Chu and Lisa were alone in Jensoo's dorm because Jennie was out shopping for groceries and the other two were too hooked watching a k-drama to go with her, Lisa paused the video. "So Jennie's birthday is on the sixteenth," Lisa said.

"Yeah..." Jisoo trailed off. "Do you have anything in mind?"

"Something like that. It's more like a _personal_ gift." Lisa looked at her own hands, too shy to admit it face to face. "So I was wondering if you could be the one to take care of the celebration with members, like what we did for your birthday."

"That's fine since it is for Jendeukie," Chu concluded after thinking it over. While she didn't wanna have more things to do besides practice, Jendeukie definitely deserved to have a nice birthday. She was one of the most hardworking members, if not the best.

" _Thank youuu!_ " Lisa exclaimed excitingly. Without thinking much about it, she started attacking Jisoo with kisses on the cheek.

Chu instinctively tried pulling her away. She hated it when people played like this and Lisa knew it after spending a week at her house, so Lisa kept going at it. The maknae was definitely more comfortable around Jisoo now, but Chu wasn't sure if that had been a good choice.

Jennie had arrived at some point during that and for some reason, she had felt her heart sink. Kisses on the cheek, that was something Lisa only did with her in the past. Since Chu and Lili hadn't noticed her yet, Jennie dropped some snacks on Jisoo's bed, right in front of them. "Here you go," she announced bitterly.

"Thanks, Jennie!" Lisa said, finally leaving Jisoo alone.

But Chu wasn't letting her off easily. She started hitting the maknae jokingly. Hard enough she would feel it, but not hard enough to actually hurt her.

Still, Lisa was overreacting to Jisoo's punches.

"Can guys _not_?" Jennie said loudly. She had picked up her notebook to write some lyrics, suddenly inspired by her jumbled emotions, but it was difficult to concentrate with those two fighting in the background.

"Sorry," Jisoo and Lisa apologized in unison and went back to watching their show quietly.

Jennie began acting a bit cold towards Lisa since then. It wasn't obvious at first because they were always professional during group practice, but whenever they were alone or with a few people, Jennie was more dismissive than usual whenever Lisa tried to tell a bad joke in Korean.

Lisa didn't really know what was going on, but a little distance between the two was alright for now, considering she had to keep Jennie's present a surprise.

* * *

Midway through January, the late-night practices started for PINKPUNK. Lisa stayed over at Jennie's dorm tonight. Jisoo was way too tired to join them, so it was just the two of them.

Jennie sat on the couch, taking a break. "Why do you make our dances so insanely good?"

"To make you work harder, of course." Lisa smirked, sitting beside Nini, but her expression changed after looking out the window. "Is that _snow_?" Lili gasped.

Jennie blinked a couple of times. "Oh my god, it is!"

Lisa tapped Jennie's knee excitingly. "Can we go out? Can we go out? Can we go out?" she said quickly. "This is my first time seeing snow!"

"It's almost midnight... _Wait_." Jennie paused. "It doesn't snow in Thailand?"

Lisa shook her head with glowing, puppy eyes.

"Okay, okay, let's get dressed," Jennie ordered. She had been ready to tell Lisa how it was too late and how they could check it out in the morning, but... _who could say no to that face?_

Lisa borrowed a coat and a pair of gloves from Jisoo, and Jennie put one of her long beanies on top of Lili's head. While Lisa's hair was longer now, it didn't mean that would save her ears from the cold. "Thanks." Lisa flashed her million-dollar smile.

Nini smiled back. "You're welcome. Now let's go."

The girls took the elevator to get down to the lobby, trying not to giggle. It just felt like they were being mischievous. The lights were always dim at this hour because trainees tended to practice overnight at the agency's main building next door. Jennie and Lisa made their way out and the ground was already covered in snow. _How did we just realize it was snowing?_

Lisa raised her right hand at the sky, catching some tiny snowflakes on her glove. She beamed at the distinct natural shapes, " _Whoa_ , it's so pretty!"

Jennie ran around Lili and grabbed her left hand, spinning them around until they fell on the soft snow surface. They gazed at each other for a second and then laughed, not caring that now their hair and clothes were wet.

Nini started moving her arms and legs sideways, forming an angel in the snow. Lisa imitated her. When they finished and stood up to look at their masterpieces... Well, more than art, it was funny. Lisa's angel was way bigger and the wings colliding with Jennie's made it seem like a mythical creature with two heads, making them chuckle.

"Nini, how do I build a snowman? I always wanted to."

Jennie crouched and began gathering snow in her palms, creating a small snowball.

A heartbeat later, Lisa was hit on the shoulder by that very same snowball. "Hey!"

Jennie took cover behind a tree as she saw Lili form a snowball herself, learning fast from the master.

Lisa moved to the side so the snowball would hit her, but Nini ran off behind a car in the parking lot.

The two shaped their second round of snowballs and attempted to hit each other for what felt like forever. It was game over when Lisa missed a shot and hit a car. That's when they panicked and ran back into the dorms, hoping they wouldn't come across anyone on the way, especially the owner. The car's alarm was pretty loud, to say the least, and it was bound to wake up some people on the lower floors.

Lisa and Jennie returned safely to Lisa's dorm, which was the easiest to reach, considering Jennie couldn't run for long. The Korean girl let Lili shower first since she was the host, and then it was her turn.

Once Jennie was done, she entered Lisa's living room. She had not expected to be stopped by Lili at the doorstep, only to be led to the kitchen counter and sit down in confusion.

Lisa pressed play on her laptop and trotted to the middle of her tiny living room. She started dancing along to one of Nini's favorite songs, _Rihanna_ 's latest single, _You Da One_. Let's just say Jennie wouldn't stop singing it ever since she returned from her mom's house. Jisoo was already done with it, having to live with Jennie, but Lisa loved hearing Nini sing casually.

Jennie's voice tended to be strong and powerful during the practices and evaluations, but listening to the natural soft outcome was always comforting for Lisa. Nini just singing whatever popped up in her beautiful mind was special.

Unlike Jennie, Lisa felt she was bad at showing her feelings verbally. Whether it was in Thai, English, or Korean. The only way she knew how to express herself completely was through dancing, so she made up a cool performance of _You Da One_ for Nini only. Her original plan was to do it in the morning and definitely not at midnight in pajamas, but the idea rose while waiting for Jennie to finish her warm shower.

For some reason, Lisa felt vulnerable. She'd never done something like this for anyone. Dedicating a dance. But reading the lyrics to the song and feeling it through, it was everything Lisa wanted to say tonight.

Meanwhile, Jennie's mind was blank.

_Lisa, Lisa, Lisa._

_What are you doing?_

_What are you doing to me?_

_My heart's pumping so hard, as if it was about to burst out of my chest._

_Are you saying what I think you're saying?_

_Are you confessing...?_

"Happy birthday, Nini!" Lisa exclaimed after recovering her breath.

Jennie's mouth remained agape for a moment. "U-um... T-thank you." She wanted to slap herself mentally. _Replying the most polite thing in the world? And stuttering? Really? Say something else._ "I can't believe you did all this with our individual and group performances on top. I know you're dancing something else for your solo."

Lisa rubbed the back of her neck in embarrassment, slowly approaching the birthday girl. "You know it's no big deal."

"How can you say that? It is!" Now Jennie felt even more flustered about feeling flustered. "Or do you dance love songs to every girl on their birthday? You didn't do this for Jisoo, right?"

Lisa stopped in her tracks. Now _that_ hurts. "Why would I do that?"

Nini looked down. "You kissed her on the cheek, even though you only did that with me..." Nini trailed off, too shyly for a call out.

"When you kiss me on the cheek, that makes me feel warm and happy. I want others to feel the same!"

"That's just such a Lisa thing to think. Chu doesn't even like it."

"So you _do_?" Lisa offered a wide smile and then a thought struck her. "Oh, were you jealous?"

Jennie pouted. "No..."

"Nini, you should know that you'll always be my number one."

Jennie rolled her eyes. "That implies there is a number two."

"Yeah, my cats. But I don't think they would appreciate my dances as much as you. Or my kisses." Lisa giggled, calming the atmosphere. " _Nini versus the kittens of Thailand_ , sounds like a good action movie."

"Everyone would know how it'd end, though. I'd obviously win after putting a lot of effort, but everyone will just see me as the villain for defeating two cats."

"Yo, Nini, here."

Jennie expected Lisa to pull a gift out of her pocket, but instead she received a kiss on the cheek.

"Enjoy your sixteens."

Jennie blushed. _Guess Lili makes me feel warm and happy too_.

* * *

After that, they both headed to bed. Despite the fact that it was her birthday, Jennie had too many thoughts to fall asleep. It didn't help that Lisa was next her.

Lili hadn't explicitly told her she liked her as more than a friend. Was Jennie supposed to assume that's what that whole dance was about? First, Lisa sung that sweet Thai song and now she danced to _You Da One_.

To anyone, all these gestures or gifts would seem romantic. Hell, Jennie even felt swooned. But a voice in the back of her mind reminded her that they weren't allowed to date anyone if they wanted to stay in YG. Did Jennie want to date Lisa in the first place? It's not like she would be opposed to it, whoever Lisa chose to date would be extremely lucky. _But is this what I really need right now? That's... to_ _o complicated to answer._

In the morning, they got up a bit earlier than usual to build Lisa's first snowman. Lisa had acted like her usual happy self. It was hard to tell if there was anything going on in her head. Jennie can only imagine her worrying about messing up while speaking in Korean.

Her members gave Jennie a fruity cake and a lot of encouraging words, praising her consistent hard work and dedication. While Jennie was grateful for the recognition, she still felt weird about compliments. And of course, Jisoo paid her back with some _miyeok-guk_ for lunch.

The days to come were full of late-night practices until the 22nd of January. You see, Koreans celebrate New Years on the second new moon after the winter solstice, this time around landing on the 23rd. Therefore, they would have a free day before, during, and after the new year to spend with their families.

Jisoo invited Lisa to her house again, knowing the Thai girl wouldn't be flying home any time soon. Hearing the conversation, Jennie wanted to join them too. Her mom said it would be fine, considering that the two weren't so big on family-oriented holidays since they were apart for a long time, experiencing different cultures. Christmas had felt obligatory to Jennie, even though she wasn't religious, but she had celebrated the holiday for five years in New Zealand.

Spending the new year with her friends sounded like it could actually be enjoyable. Plus, Jennie could keep an eye on Lisa. It's not like Jisoo would snatch Lili from Jennie or that Lisa was even hers to begin with, but Lisa could be really... _affectionate_ and she _did_ say Nini was her number one. That had to count for something. Hopefully not just an excuse.

* * *

"I'm home!" Jisoo announced as she closed the front door of her house.

After everyone took their shoes off, they were greeted by Chu's grandfather in the living room. "Oh, two became three!"

" _Mhm!_ " Jisoo gestured towards her Jennie. "This is Jendeukie, my roommate!"

Jennie rolled her eyes mentally and bowed. "Hi, my name is Kim Jennie, not Jendeukie. Thank you for having me."

"And thank you for having me again," Lisa echoed.

" _Kim_? Are we related?" Jisoo's grandfather joked.

Jennie smiled. "If so, we're related to half the country."

He chuckled. "Jennie, Jennie," he pronounced in a funny way. "Is that your English name?"

She shook her head in response. "Everyone in Korea thinks that, but my name is written in Hangul on my birth certificate, _kekekeke_."

When Jennie was in kindergarten, her classmates also had trouble saying her name. They started calling her "Jerry" instead, like the cartoon character. It used to bother her a little, people calling her a male name. But Jerry was pretty crafty, so was she.

"Oh my, our language has changed so much. Not only did we start using English words in our vocabulary, now we do in our names!" Grandpa put a palm over his face, as if he was losing hope in the world.

Jisoo was close to stopping him from embarrassing her any further, but Jennie answered quicker than her.

"I actually love that. I grew up with both languages and I'm happy my name represents that. I'm glad languages all over the world are developing and becoming more fun to play with."

Grandpa nodded, sensing this girl was smart. "Do you like acrostic poems?"

"Oh, yeah, haven't done one in a while though."

"Let's do a short one... _saehae jeonnal_."

"Did Jennie just steal your grandfather?" Lisa asked Jisoo.

" _Hm_ , that seems to be case, but it's not too serious. It's probably because Jendeukie likes things their _age_." Chu had caught Jendeukie knitting once, fixing a hole in one of her old pants. Jennie was also extra enough to light incense whenever she took a bath. Not to mention she liked writing on paper instead of doing it digitally, like a normal person would do these days. "I still have something over her, _blood!_ "

"I heard you, Chu!" Jendeukie exclaimed, but then continued her conversation with Grandpa, who paid no mind to Jisoo's comment.

"By the way, where's Grandma?" Lisa asked Jisoo, not seeing her anywhere.

"How am I supposed to know? I came here with you!" It's not like Jisoo's Grandpa had said anything about it to her, being too distracted by Jennie's charms. "She might have gone out for groceries."

" _Aww_ , she should have asked us to do it for her. I love the market by your house, it has more variety than the one by YG." Of course that wasn't the root of her disappointment. Lisa just wanted to see if Grandma would recognize Jennie from their amusement park adventure. She had been dying with anxiety since they left the dorms.

"You just want those chocolate snacks from our Christmas sleepovers, _kekekeke_."

"You know me so well..."

Jennie suddenly came up to the girls. "We should go buy them!" If there was something Lisa liked, Jennie needs know about it. For potential gifts, you know.

"Look who remembered us!" Jisoo gasped. "I thought you were too busy becoming my grandpa's _BFF_."

Jennie hit her on the shoulder playfully. "Stop overreacting."

Chu raised her palms as a sign of peace. "Hey, I'm an actress, you homewrecker."

Jennie put on her best poker face, trying to suppress her laughter and think of a good comeback.

"What does _gajeong pagoeja_ mean?" Lisa asked.

"Oh, I'll explain it to you," Jisoo said eagerly. "It's when someone like Jennie comes into your house and then makes—"

"Everyone love her with her _amazing_ personality," Jennie interrupted, wearing a smirk.

"To break the _actual_ family members apart because of the cursed spell she pulled on them."

"Wow," Lisa breathed out. "I feel like I'm watching a drama."

"The only dramatic one here is Chu," Jennie argued. "I literally had _one_ conversation with the man and she's already saying he'll ask me to be in their Christmas postcards."

"More like Halloween's—"

The front door opened and closed, deafening the rest of Jisoo's answer. Moments later, Grandma stepped into the living room.

"What a plot twist..." Lisa mumbled in English.

Chu scoffed. "Now she's gonna steal my grandma..."

Jennie didn't react to Jisoo's comment, too shocked by the woman's appearance. There was nothing wrong with it at all, except she might hate her. "Um, where's the bathroom?"

"Say hi first!" Lisa said, smiling innocently. "Hey, Korean Grandma!" After staying at the Kim's for a little while, Chu's Grandma had told Lisa she might as well call her _Korean Grandma_. The woman had taken a liking of Lisa, seeing her as the innocent, charming Thai angel she is. It was kind of funny how Jisoo hadn't mind that but had been shading Jennie for 5 minutes.

 _Oh my god... This really was a plot twist_. Of all people, Lisa set her up. Jennie couldn't run away now, she'd been put on the spot. She wished she had the guts from earlier, but her guilt was messing with her confidence. Jennie bowed abruptly. "Hello, ma'am, my name is Kim Jennie!" she said way too quickly.

"Chu, do all your friends introduce themselves like they are being chased by the police?" Grandma joked.

Lisa patted Jennie's back. _Been there, done that_.

"Hi, Jennie. Jisoo talked a lot about you. Lisa too. It's nice to finally meet you!"

Jennie stopped herself from looking at the floor and stretched her hand. "Nice to meet you too!"

Jisoo's grandmother looked at Jennie's hand strangely at first but then shook it. "Don't be so formal, it's not like you're Jisoo's boyfriend, _kekekeke_."

Jennie giggled nervously in response and retreated next to Lisa in the background, linking their arms.

 _Chu to the rescue_. "That's why I'm never bringing in a boyfriend."

"Hey, that's mean, Chu Chu," Grandma answered.

"It's quite literal now, it's in a contract." Jisoo laughed, making reference to their deal with YG.

"It's not like we have time to even think about having a relationship," Jennie added, suddenly forgetting they were fighting moments ago. Maybe she wanted to support Chu because she felt bad about tricking her grandma into believing she was her. What a small world.

 _Boyfriend... Relationship..._ The k-dramas Lisa watched used those words a lot. Of course Jennie wasn't looking for anything like that. Lisa should've known already. Still, she couldn't help but feel a little sad about it.

While they weren't allowed to date, it's not like people could stop themselves from falling in love. But either way, romantic or not, Jennie and Lisa were like the _yin and yang_. They couldn't coexist without the other, at least that's how it felt like right now. The rest of Jisoo's family had arrived shortly, right before dinner time. Everyone was here, even her siblings. After all, New Years' was exclusively a family holiday.

Lisa couldn't help but feel like an outsider. While her Korean had gotten better, these casual conversations were too much to process. Jennie seemed to have noticed that, especially when a question was aimed at the Thai girl, so Nini just held her hand under the table, asked Lili in English and answered for her.

Jennie felt like she was watching the comedy sitcom _High Kick_. Jisoo's family was certainly fun. Chu's father was trying to be all cute with his wife, but she kept pushing him off because he was too cheesy. Jennie had to agree. The siblings updated everyone with their college achievements and respective relationships, everything seemed to be going well... until they started teasing Jisoo and her decision to become an actress. Chu just kept eating her food, she had already heard this a thousand times.

Jennie rarely got the need to punch someone—okay, maybe that was a lie—but it was really hard to sit through this. Lisa had noticed Nini's grip had gotten stronger, so she attempted to calm her down by massaging her hand with her thumb.

Still, while Lisa kept her from throwing a tantrum, Jennie couldn't stay quiet. "You know that Chu became the best in her group within months? I've been in YG for over a year and I had never seen anyone improve that quickly. She's such a hardworking girl, taking four different dance classes with singing, piano, and language on top. I'm so proud of you, unnie."

Jisoo looked at her with a weird face. _Where did that come from?_ She didn't know how to feel. In a way, what Jennie was saying was right. Chu had done all that. It's just, her effort being recognized, it was something new. In YG, training more than you're supposed to didn't seem like a big deal, it was what was expected from you. Not even when Mr. Yang told her that she would be in their future girl group had made her this... _emotional_. No one had ever stood up for her like that, her mom was usually saying "Cut it," to her siblings when it became too much, but she'd never defended her with the fear of having to pick one over the others. Jisoo wanted to be as strong as Jennie to face them like that. "Thank you, Jendeukie. When the CEO told me I would be part of the next girl group, I couldn't believe it." Yes, she could. She had done everything for that to happen. But she wanted to boast.

"I don't like that you're going to the hospital too much," her mom interrupted, dismissing her achievement.

"Well, you are the one that gave birth to me with weak feet." Jisoo sipped her _sikhye_.

Jennie was impressed, to say the least. So far, Jisoo had been making small talk during dinner, so Jennie couldn't really tell how she spoke to anyone in her family beside her grandparents, who were the loveliest.

"What is this? I love it!" Lisa suddenly chimed in.

Jennie smiled, suppressing her laughter. _Perfect timing_. "Sikhye, it's like a traditional sweet rice drink that we have in New Years' and other holidays."

"Ah, I see. It's very good."

"You're such a sweet tooth," Jennie joked. Her explanation in English distracted every monolingual on the table and the topic was changed afterward.

When everyone finished eating, the family decided to play a Korean board game Lisa had never seen in her life. Even though she'd been invited to play, the instructions sounded way too complicated. Lisa hated acting like a downer, normally being the life of the party, but this wasn't her holiday to celebrate. _Songkran_ , the Thai New Year, had been on December 31st. She was so upset she couldn't attend the water festival. Her mom had sent her pictures that day and she had cried for hours.

Past midnight, the adults had started drinking soju, Korea's native drink, and the kids were sent upstairs after wishing everyone to have a great year. Jisoo's bedroom was spacious and quite simple but, for that very reason, you could tell it was hers. There were a lot of weird animal plushies that looked kind of cute if you stared at them for a tad too long. There were piles of console games, movies, k-dramas and music CDs on a shelf.

"Jendeukie," Jisoo called after they all sat on her bed. Jennie was ready to apologize, even if she didn't feel sorry, but then Chu just said, "Thank you."

"Anytime, unnie."

"I'm not sure what happened, but Nini was ready to flip the table," Lisa commented. She had spaced out halfway through dinner, only paying attention whenever Jennie spoke. She had found Nini's hand way more interesting. It was soft and small. It had been cold when she first held it, but her temperature had balanced with Lisa's shortly. To avoid letting go, Lisa had used a spoon instead of chopsticks, gaining her strange looks from the family that hadn't met her on Christmas.

Jennie, on the other hand, had served herself a small amount of food and had eaten it fully as soon as the oldest person started eating. So, in conclusion, she hadn't needed to use chopsticks for the rest of the dinner, only drinking the delicious sikhye with her free hand.

"I really wanted to..." Jennie whined, marveling at the thought. "It would've been cool!"

Lisa sighed happily, seeing Nini so enthusiastic about something so destructive. Maybe she _was_ in love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, how are you all doing? Yesterday I died with Jennie's YouTube video. I had watched a weird Japanese show with my friend before seeing it, we were literally thinking "what did the writer smoke to come up with this?", so Jennie's video was quite a relief. Still, everything was so much to process. All I'll say is that I need Jennie to make more hip-hop/rap covers like in her pre-debut days because they are so epic.
> 
> Life updates? I released another song demo called BLINK on Soundcloud. Are you shook about the title? You should be because it is exactly about the idol industry, if you wanna check it out. See if you catch my blackpink references in there, haha.
> 
> In the end, I didn't take the summer classes since 1/2 courses I need weren't available, so that means I'm on vacation. Still, I need to finish a lyric video for an artist and continue with the documentary next week.
> 
> ALSO, does anyone here play the Sims? I was bored and decided to make the girls in the game. Can you believe I trusted Jennie to cook first and then she burned down the kitchen? Lisa put out the fire and surprisingly ended up being the best cook. Jennie completed all the piano and guitar skills first and Jisoo was the one to get promoted the most in her music career, followed by Lisa. There was a dock by their house so I made Jenlisa go there and take cute pictures, haha. I posted some in my Twitter. Decorating their rooms was also fun. It's all up in the Sims 4 gallery if you wanna download the characters and mansion, my origin user is arcaneghost4L.
> 
> I think that's all for now. I started writing the next chapter a few hours ago and I'm hyped. I also feel like I should mention, this is gonna be a really slow burn, so calm ya tits punk. Stay safe everyone!
> 
> Links:
> 
> https://SoundCloud.com/veronicaguzman/blink
> 
> https://twitter.com/arcaneghost_/status/1346774665839202305?s=19
> 
> https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBB7NwTNtnpEaUL7qJEY6mgEeFABpddpv
> 
> Ps. An indirect way of spoiling yourself could be checking out the yt playlist I made for the fanfic bc I add the tracks as soon as I write them into the story ;)


	12. Think/Say/Do

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey there. Lots of music in this chapter so here's the playlist link. Thank you for 200 kudos. This is the longest chapter I've ever written. Enjoy!
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBB7NwTNtnpEaUL7qJEY6mgEeFABpddpv

After killing it in the January evaluation, Jennie had felt the need to step it up even higher. _How?_ Strategy. Jennie and Lisa would supervise all of the PINKPUNK members' both individual and group performances for all of them to get straight As. _Yes_ , Nini had gone insane, but she truly believed this would work, so Lisa, Jisoo and Miyeon went along with her plan.

Lisa noticed Jennie binge-eats whenever she's overworked. You could only imagine how she was on the day of February's evaluation. Right now, they were sitting outside the dance hall, waiting for their turn. "You're eating gummy bears?"

"You want some?" Jennie asked but didn't offer the bag at all.

"No, thanks. I don't like gummies."

"Good, I didn't really wanna share."

"Oh, how nice of you." Lisa wasn't sure what she could do for Anxious Jennie. She couldn't hold her hand because Nini was too busy grabbing gummy bears out of the bag she was holding. Telling Jennie to calm down wasn't an option either, that would only make her explode. Instead, Lisa decided to rest her head on Jennie's shoulder.

It was surprising how Lisa was keeping her cool after designing and correcting nine dances, eight for all the members and one for the group itself. Lisa would normally be super nervous before a performance, but seeing Jennie losing it made her just focus on Nini and forget about herself. _Love was selfless, wasn't it?_

Suddenly, Jisoo came up to them after talking to some members in the hallway. "Ah, I see Jendeukie is gaining strength."

"Uh... how?" Lisa asked, very confused by her statement. The Thai girl was sure she could feel Nini shaking.

"I enjoy tearing apart gummy bears with my teeth, specially beheading them." Jisoo flexed her muscles jokingly, smirking. "It makes me feel powerful."

However, Jennie was too lost in her own world to be distracted by Jisoo's weird story. Chu kneeled down in front of Nini and pinched her cheeks, surprising her. "Jendeukie, there are no more gummy bears. Stop reaching for the bag."

Jennie blinked a few times. "Oh."

"Put yourself together, Jendeukie. We need our leader."

"You're right. Sorry, unnie." Jennie sat straight and took some deep breaths, which seemed to have helped her a little. Lisa took a mental note of that for later.

After a moment, Nini finally took a look at Lisa. Leaning against her had ruffled Lili's hair, so Jennie began fixing it with a hairbrush she had in her backpack. "Your hair's so long now," she said softly in her ear, immersing herself into another world.

"Yeah, I'm really happy about it," Lisa answered in a low voice. Nini's breath was giving her goosebumps. "I think I wanna dye the ends brown and maybe get my bangs back."

"You would look so beautiful, more than you already are if that's even possible."

Lisa was glad that Jennie couldn't see her face from that angle because she was blushing like crazy. Before Lili could reply, Jennie stopped brushing her hair.

"It's time, _Jendeugi_ ," Jisoo called, mixing Jennie's name with the Korean word for _stylist_. Chu had been watching the couple carefully. One time, Jisoo and Lisa had been messing around and Chu tried to ruffle the maknae's hair, but Lisa had pushed her away instinctively. _Guess it's different with Jendeukie, huh?_

Jennie nodded and stood up with Lisa, heading to the main dance room. Out of the three close friends, Jennie was up first. Her mind felt calm now and she was able to execute her cover of Jennifer Lopez's _Jenny From The Block_ with great success. It's a hip-hop/R&B song that Jennie had always loved singing because, well, it had her name and it was her style.

For her solo dance, she had chosen _Whine Up_ by Kat DeLuna, which was a very catchy and sexy song. Jennie was definitely setting the room on fire. The first verse and the pre-choruses involved a lot of slow movements. But once the chorus and rap verses hit, the dance got stronger and more complex, which just took everyone's breath away.

Lisa was so proud of her and, well, _Jennie in that tight outfit performing Lisa's choreography..._ It made her feel like she had swallowed a dozen butterflies while her mouth had been agape.

Jennie bowed down to the jury and made her way over to Lisa. She was supposed to be changing into the group's outfit but Jisoo was right after her, so she would wait until Chu's turn was over.

Jennie was feeling the thrill of performing, knowing she had done amazing. This had been one of her best, for sure.

Lisa wanted to congratulate her and tell her how cool she is, but no words would come out. Nini's grin didn't help either.

Jisoo introduced herself and the track she would be singing, _Goodbye Baby_ by miss A. The song was an angsty but empowering pop song, which somehow fitted her vocals very well. Coach made her try a lot of ballads, so this was Chu's modern take on all her knowledge.

The song Jisoo chose for her choreography was ChoColat's _Syndrome_ , an electronic bop. Even if you weren't a fan of the genre, the instrumental would definitely make you wanna dance. Jisoo had very expressive facial features and Lisa told her that was her biggest selling point, so she should use it to her advantage during specific moments in the choreography.

When Jisoo's turn was over, she and Jennie headed out to change their outfits. By the time they were back, Lisa was called out to the front. Even after all these months of training, Lisa was still one of the few who chose to dance first. According to her, she hooks the judges with her dance and then impresses them with her singing. No one could argue with that, the Thai girl being the only one who had never gotten anything but an A.

This time, Lisa made a choreography for _Hey Baby_ by Pitbull, featuring T-Pain. It's a 100% a party song, so it was all about the buildup until the beat dropped. Lisa's charismatic vibe was always contagious and it was hard to not dance along with her. Even the judges were unconsciously banging their heads to the rhythm. _The Lisa Effect_.

For her vocal evaluation, Lisa had chosen _Domino_ by Jessie J. It's a completely different mood from her previous song, which obviously left everyone in awe. _Domino_ can be a bit difficult to sing if you don't know where to breathe during the chorus, but Lisa obviously had all of that covered with the help of her personal coach and Jennie.

After everyone's turns were over, the group performance began. They were doing _Hands Up_ by 2PM, an absolute banger. While the song only had five individual parts, the choruses were repeated enough times so everyone got a chance to sing. Lisa got the second verse, Jennie the section after that, and Jisoo Sohee's iconic line in between (changing _oppa_ to _unnie_ ) and the bridge. In conclusion, it was lit.

The song finished, all the members of PINKPUNK breathing heavily, remaining in their ending position until the judges told them to sit down. All the girls were feeling both excited and nervous. Excited because the performance had been perfect but nervous because you just never know with these judges, nitpicking the tiniest of things. If it wasn't your dancing or singing, it could be your outfit, your attitude, your vocalization—whatever flaw they found in you.

The strangest thing happened though. When the CEO started announcing the scores for each girl, they got As for every single category. Everyone was so confused, especially when CEO Yang said, "PINKPUNK will debut."

Jennie couldn't hear anything after that, she couldn't feel Lisa's tight hug or react to the gasps and squeals from her team members. _PINKPUNK will debut. PINKPUNK will debut. PINKPUNK will debut_. Did she hear that correctly? _PINKPUNK will debut_.

Jisoo later told her CEO Yang started rambling about how it might happen by the end of the year or the first half of the next, how they were going to have individual photoshoots to slowly present them to the audience, how they would do a studio test with all their voices with a producer and write a song that fit them best, plan music videos after that, how their training would only become tougher and now they would have mid-month evaluations.

That was a lot to take in, for sure, but it was what they'd sign up for and they were all ready to take in the challenge.

For Lisa, it felt like this process had come full circle. Her first group performance had been _Again & Again_ by 2PM and the performance that got her through was _Hands Up_ by the same group. She saw Jennie perform _What's My Name?_ in her first evaluation with Lisa and now no one would forget she was Jennie From The Block. Of course, these weren't going to be their last evaluations but it was crazy, how Lisa was the only one in PINKPUNK who had that experience.

Jisoo hadn't spent a lot of time in PINKPUNK, just quite a lot with a couple of its members, who taught her to be ambitious and always improve after each performance. She finally saw herself worthy of a big stage, an arena—the world.

* * *

March started out fiercely. They hadn't lied with "training will only become harder." Besides the monthly evaluations, now they had to prepare for a mid-month session, where they would be filmed singing covers. The point of these were so they could possibly be posted in YG's website and also to keep track of their progress. The songs had to be different from what they were performing by the end of the month.

Also, the new moves for the dance lessons required your whole physical and mental capacity to execute them, the only ones who could really keep up were Lisa and Jinny. But everyone was trying to put up an equal fight. The group's roles were gonna be chosen soon, so you had to stand out if you wanted a mayor spotlight once you debuted.

 _PINKPUNK LINE-UP MARCH 2012_ , Jennie's notes read. At the moment, these were her current predictions:

— Jennie: Leader, main rapper, lead vocalist ฅ(ﾐ꒡⋏꒡ﾐ)∫

— Jisoo: Visual, main vocalist (*_*)

— Lisa 🇹🇭: Main dancer, sub-vocalist, lead maknae 쪽

— Miyeon: Main vocalist (^o^)

— Eunbi: Main vocalist 활활

— Euna: Lead rapper, lead dancer, sub-vocalist 짝짝짝

— Jinny 🇺🇲: Lead dancer, sub-rapper, sub-vocalist, main maknae (⌐■_■)

— Hannah: Lead vocalist (ᆺ_ᆺ✿)

_*DEBUT DATE: TBA!_

This was one of many lists Jennie had done ever since she started training, always thinking about the future and that shining day where The Line-Up List would come true.

A lot of things had changed every time a new member joined over the last year. They got their second international trainee, Jinny Park, from the United States. Since she could speak English, she managed to get close to Lisa, the two being the youngest and also the best dancers in the group. Jennie had befriended Hannah, who always encouraged her when Jennie felt like she couldn't keep going in practice. Eunbi and Euna always seemed to be together, being an amazing vocal duo on their own. Jisoo naturally got along with everyone, only being a little closer to Jennie (who had roommate privilege) and Lisa (who was her K-drama buddy and had _my-family-loves-you_ privilege).

It was the first time there wasn't a lot of arguing within the group. The members that had arrived last knew they still needed more work, so they didn't whine much about not being in the center and such.

* * *

By the end of the month, two days before Friday's evaluation, there was an important date coming up. Lisa's birthday on the 27th. That morning, she had been woken up by a video call from her parents, which made her entire day already. They told her they sent her a gift and it should've arrived already, which was true. It had been kept at the dorms' reception. Lisa had also received a lot of messages from her friends in Thailand, including her old members of _We Zaa Cool_. It was reasonable if they couldn't call, they were two hours behind Korea's timezone. Also, they all had school.

When Lisa had entered the dance room for her first class, Jennie was the only one there, as if she had been waiting.

" _S̄wạs̄dī txn chêā!_ " Jennie said slowly in Thai, making Lisa stop in her tracks towards her. "Meeting you last year was the best thing that ever happened to me. I don't believe in luck, but I know I'm lucky to have you in my life, my partner in crime. Happy birthday, Lisa!"

Lisa spaced out for a second to take everything in, tears already forming in her eyes and her heart was pumping really loudly. Her sudden sniff snapped her out of it. "Nini..."

Jennie walked in front of her and wiped her tears. "Don't cry, Lili," she said in English. "You're beautiful."

 _Sniff, sniff_. "I can't believe you would..."

"You keep doing all these big gestures for me. _Of course_ I would."

Lisa hugged her and whispered, "I'm just not so good with words."

"That's okay, even if it drives me crazy sometimes," Nini whispered back. "I just wanted to say, you're my number one too, in every single way." Jennie kissed her cheek, tightened the hug one last time, and pulled away. Lili was smiling at her, even with her glowing wet eyes.

Lisa kept her index finger interlaced with Jennie's, letting it dance in between the _we-should-let-go_ and _just-a-little-longer_.

" _Lisaengsin!_ " Jisoo exclaimed as she stepped into the room, combining Lisa's name with the Korean word for _birthday_. Already familiar with their weird behavior, Chu decided to ignore it as they pulled apart by the surprise. "Happy birthday, _Lalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalisa~!_ " she said in English.

Jennie laughed at her unnie, who repeated "La" fifteen times, which was Lisa's age now. Jennie still couldn't begin to think how Jisoo came up with every joke she made. Chu was truly four-dimensional.

"Thank you, Chichu!" Lisa crossed her thumb and index finger over her closed fist, giving her an idol heart.

Jisoo started hitting her. "Don't think that you'll get away with that just because it's your birthday, you punk!"

" _Ouchh!_ " Lisa whined. "Jen, help me!"

"You brought that upon yourself," Nini answered and proceeded to stretch for the dance lesson.

The other members arrived shortly. While Jisoo had disliked all the birthday attention, Lisa accepted it with open arms. The Thai girl loved being surrounded by people that cared about her and vice-versa. Not to mention Lisa was euphoric about her chocolate cake.

After lunchtime and finishing her _tom jeau salay_ , Jennie sneakily dragged the birthday girl out of the building, leaving all of their responsibilities behind. "Where are you taking me?" Lisa asked.

"Trust me, partner." Jennie smiled and led her to _Hapjeong Station_ , which was just a few blocks away from the agency. They rode the bus for at least forty five minutes, enjoying the beautiful Seoul scenery. In the meantime, Lisa had told Nini about her parents' call and how Thai people normally celebrated birthdays. It wasn't much different from New Zealand, but a lot of Thai traditions were influenced by Buddhism.

"Oh, I forgot." Lisa pulled a gift box out of her bag. "My parents sent me this. I still haven't opened it."

Jennie's eyes widened. " _Why? Oh my god!_ "

"I didn't wanna open it alone and then you did your thing back there." Lisa smiled and unwrapped the gift carefully. " _Wow!_ "

" _Yooo_ , Lili!" Jennie gasped. "That's a really fancy film camera!"

Lisa blinked, not believing her eyes. "It _is?_ How did my parents afford this?"

Jennie found a note by Lisa's parents. The first part was written in Thai and the second in English. " _Because we're super proud of our Laliz. Make a lot of great memories. Happy birthday, Pokpak —Dad_ ," Nini read out loud and then handed her the note.

Lisa read her mother's handwriting too as Jen checked out the camera's specs. " _Aww..._ I might cry again."

Jennie placed a comforting hand on her knee, knowing how hard it must be to be far away from home. "So... _Pokpak_?"

"Oh!" Lisa blurted out, surprised by the sudden question. "That's a nickname my childhood friends gave me."

"How come?"

"So my birth name was _Pranpriya_ , but one day me and my mom visited a fortune teller and they told us the name _Lalisa_ would bring me prosperity. That's why we changed my name."

"Pranpriya," Jen repeated.

" _Mhm_ ," Lili hummed. "It means _beloved soul_."

"That's so sweet... And what does Lalisa mean?"

"The one who's praised." Lisa blew a kiss in the air.

Jennie was still surprised by how much Thai people believed in luck. Trusting something blindly, without any type of reassurance or proof, was scary and risky. Apparently changing your name to free yourself from possible bad fortune in the future was very common in Thailand. "Pokpak and Laliz are such cute nicknames. Meanwhile, my childhood friends just called me _Jerry_ ," Jennie revealed.

Lili burst out laughing.

" _Hey!_ " Nini pouted, bumping her shoulder playfully.

"Sorry, sorry!" Lisa tried calming down. "Why?"

"Koreans find my name difficult to pronounce, as you saw with Chu's grandpa."

" _Ah_... _"_ Lisa trailed off. "I just imagined it was because you're pretty small and cute like the mouse."

Jennie just scoffed at the comment. She had never seen it that way.

* * *

At last, they arrived at _Yeouido Park_. As soon as they entered the main area, Lisa was faced with rows and rows of cherry blossom trees. Unconsciously, she jumped up and down out of excitement. "It's so pretty!"

"Right?" Jennie was just as impressed. She had missed the cherry blossom season last year, so she hadn't seen any in forever.

"There are only cherry blossoms in the north of Thailand, so I would only see them if I went camping with my parents." You see, Lisa had lived in Bangkok her entire life, making occasional trips around her country when she had school breaks. "Thank you, Nini!"

"You are very welcome." Jennie smirked. "Now let's walk around and test that new camera of yours."

"Yay, let's!" It took Lisa around ten minutes to figure out how her camera worked. She had Jen's help, of course, but the camera was a bit more modern than hers so they were practically learning together.

The golden hour came and offered the most beautiful lighting for photos. After taking turns and even asking a stranger to take a picture of them together, Jennie and Lisa made their way to the riverside of _Yeouido Park_ to see the sunset over the _Han River_.

The Spring breeze was just perfect—not too strong and cold enough to soothe the heat of the sun. That's why Spring was their favorite season. Besides the weather, Lisa had come to South Korea last Spring and met Jennie, with whom she made the greatest memories in Hongdae, Lisa's favorite place in the country for that same reason.

Jennie suddenly sneezed. It was a short high-pitched sneeze, which Lisa found adorable. Unlike Lisa, Jennie wasn't wearing a jacket. They kind of had skipped class and left with their stylish exercise clothing. Since Lisa wasn't as sensitive to the weather, she gave Nini her hoodie, revealing her crop-top underneath.

Jen gazed at her, checking her out. "Won't _you_ get cold?"

Lili shook her head confidently. "I already told you, strong Thai genes."

"Says the girl who got a fever last time." Jennie reached for her own bag and pulled out a vegan leather jacket. "Here."

"Wait. You had a jacket?"

"I just wanted to wear your hoodie." Jennie giggled. "But the jacket I just gave you is your birthday gift."

"Oh wow, you shouldn't have. Coming here was enough..." Still, Lisa wrapped the jacket around her shoulders.

"Well, it was leverage just in case I fucked up with the Thai, I can just have it for myself—"

"I really _love_ the jacket, so I'll take it. Thank you, Jennie!"

Jennie patted her head. She noticed Lisa slightly flinch before her hand made contact with her hair. _So Jisoo hadn't been lying_. Unnie had told her a few days ago that Lisa wouldn't let her touch her head, claiming it was sacred. Chu had investigated and found out that it was offensive to touch people's heads in Thailand. It was hard to believe when Lisa had let Jennie do it since the day they met. _Was she really the exception?_

Jennie stopped. "Lili, why do you let me do this?"

Lisa tilted her head. "Do what?"

"Pat your head."

"Because it's you." Lisa hadn't given it much thought, it seemed like an obvious answer to her. "It... _feels_ right."

"Fuck, I really wanna kiss you," Jennie mumbled.

Lisa's cheeks became red. She fumbled with her jacket's zipper shyly. "Why don't you?"

"You know why."

"So... you like me back?"

"I spent half of my allowance on you, _yes_ , I like you back." Nini giggled, remembering her times in New Zealand when she had to save up a few dollars for sweets or cheap clothes. Just like Lisa's head was sacred for the Thai girl, Jennie's allowance was sacred to her as well. That's why Jennie mainly gifted handmade items, which she genuinely enjoyed putting together.

Lisa grinned like a child and did a happy dance, deciding to ignore the first half of Nini's statement for now.

"Don't do that..."

"What?"

"Make me want to kiss you more."

Lisa leaned her back against the railing and Jennie did the same beside her. The sky was already blue and the place had more people than before. It only took a second thought to stop themselves, remembering all the girls that had been kicked out before their eyes.

Jennie turned around and stared at the _Han River_. She noticed something in the distance and got an impulsive idea. She grabbed Lisa's hand and dragged her to the dock of the park. _Slow Motion_ by _EPIK HIGH_ began playing through the area's speakers as Jennie paid for the Swan paddle boat ride. There were two options, pedal and automatic. She chose automatic and let Lisa get in the boat first. Jennie entered after her and the engine started running shortly.

The sudden movement scared Jennie at first, so Lisa held her hand. A moment or two passed and Nini's pulse was back to normal, at least as normal as it could get. They were now far enough from the park that light barely reached their faces. Lisa felt Jennie's other hand land carefully on her cheek, turning her head towards her.

Lisa had never done this before, so she just closed her eyes like in the movies. Jennie's lips were soft and warm. The moment they touched hers, Lisa had responded naturally, all her worries about doing it right or wrong melting. If a fortune teller had told Lisa her first kiss would be in a Swan paddle boat in Korea two years ago, even she would have found that incredible.

Jennie pulled away. That had been a small peck, but the sweetest she'd ever had. She wasn't gonna lie and say that she hadn't kissed anyone before. In her last months in Auckland, she had attended lots of parties with her high school friends before returning to Seoul. If Jennie saw a cute boy or girl, she would approach them just to know what it's like, but kissing strangers only felt exciting in the beginning. Then it became overdone, boring. Lisa reignited a new flame inside her—a stronger, _better_ one. _So that's how it's supposed to feel_...

With a little more confidence, Lisa kissed Jennie again. Nini pressed harder though, licking Lisa's bottom lip. The surprise made the Thai girl open her mouth and Jen invited herself in. Lisa easily got addicted to her strawberry milk taste.

"Hey..." Jennie breathed out, her tone delicate and vulnerable.

"Hi..." Lisa trailed off, putting a strand of Jennie's hair behind her ear.

"I wanna go on, but I'm getting motion sick."

"Oh, crap." Lisa had completely forgotten about Jennie's condition, but everything had happened so fast and felt like an eternity, like they were the only ones in existence.

Luckily for Jennie, the automatic paddle boat had already turned on its way back. Lisa took deep breaths, making Jennie try to match hers. Nini focused on the Thai girl until the ride was over, gripping her hands. Lili helped her out and they found an empty bench in the park, never letting go.

Lisa waited in silence for Jennie to feel better. It seemed like the Korean girl was paying attention to a random object to stop her head from spinning, in this case, the Swan boat.

"I think I can walk now."

The Thai girl stood up, grabbed her hand, and helped her up. Jennie tried taking a few steps and she didn't feel as dizzy. "Let's eat something," Lili said. "My treat."

"But it's your birthday..."

"Come on, Nini." Lisa tapped her shoulder. "You already bought me this badass jacket and took me on the best ride of my life. The service was amazing, so let me treat you back."

Jennie couldn't resist Lisa's silly smile, so she just linked their arms. "Alright."

They got out of the park and walked three blocks to find all the food places. There wasn't much of a choice, they mostly sold meat. Jennie picked a place and the two ordered.

"So..." Lisa trailed off.

"We should talk about it," Jennie stated. "We can't date."

"I know, but still." Lisa bit her lip. "I want to kis—" Pause. "—do that again."

"Me too." Jen sighed. "We can only make this work if we don't get caught. That means, act as if nothing had happened in public." She looked up, analyzing the whole situation. God, she never expected to be in this position. "We have two advantages. One, we both speak English fluently while most Koreans don't. So, like today, we can get away acting like tourists."

"Well, technically I'm a tourist, so that works." Lili giggled. "What's two?"

"Korea is pretty homophobic—"

"Wait, that's an advantage?"

"Let me finish." Jennie cleared her throat. "Korea is pretty homophobic, so if we look like we're too close, people will probably think we're best friends or sisters."

"That's sad... but true." You would need an open mind to even consider she and Jennie were into each other.

The waiter suddenly appeared, leaving their dishes and drinks on the table. Jennie had jumped slightly, not expecting anyone to interrupt their serious and private conversation. To be honest, she had forgotten about the food, thinking about all the possibilities.

"If you're gonna be scared like that in YG, then I get why you're worrying so much."

Jennie rolled her eyes. "Rules," she continued. "No kissing, only when we're alone in our dorms."

Lisa pouted like a child but remained silent in agreement.

"No telling absolutely anyone about us, not even your cats."

"Meanie." Lisa started eating her meal. "I really wanted to tell them how I found a cute kitty in Korea."

" _Hmm_ , maybe you can tell your cats." Jennie tilted her head to the side. "When you're back in Thailand."

"You're lucky you're pretty, otherwise I'd fight you."

Jen scoffed. "As if you'd dared."

Lisa just kept eating, knowing Nini was right. She would never mess around with Jennie the same, painful way she played with Jisoo. Lisa had never been like that with a friend, but Chu was so easy to talk to and had great reactions.

After eating, Lili paid the bill and the girls headed back to the station. As of tradition, the Thai girl fell asleep on Jennie's shoulder once they sat down on the bus.

Jennie decided to turn on her phone to look at the time, but she was invaded by a lot of missed calls and messages from Jisoo.

 _Right..._ Jennie sort of forgot to tell her she would be skipping class today, which was something she rarely did these days. "I'm sorry, Chuuuu ㅠㅠ," she started typing. "We're on our way back."

"You better be, Jendeukie!" Jisoo replied almost instantly. "Everyone started acting as if I was the leader!"

"You are when I'm not around ㅋㅋㅋㅋ"

"You punk, don't start skipping like Nallalisa every month."

"I won't ㅠㅠ It was only for her birthday. We had a great time ^_^"

"Good, you two work too much. Just let me know next time so I'm mentally prepared to give others advice on things I never thought of."

Jennie apologized again and texted Chu a little more, telling her about her day with Lili, excluding the minor details.

When Jennie dropped Lisa in front of her dorm, the Thai girl looked at her with puppy eyes. "Don't you wanna sleepover?"

"I doubt we'd get much sleep..." Jennie said, half-jokingly. "And Jisoo was worried because we suddenly left her, so I should check on her."

Lili pouted. " _Aw_ , alright then. Goodnight."

Jennie fixed Lisa's bed hair. "Goodnight."

If they hadn't been in the hallway, she would have probably done something different. Before, they hadn't cared much about the cameras all over the building or the agency. But now that they'd crossed the line, they were more self-aware of their behavior.

The problem began two weeks later. On April 10th, YG Entertainment posted a picture of Jennie on their website, introducing her with the caption "Who's That Girl?" Just like that, the company kept her identity hidden and made YG fans wonder who she was. The media was already anticipating Jennie to be part of YG's new girl group.

In the photo, Jennie is sitting down with her legs crossed. She's wearing a pink shirt, light blue shorts, long white socks, and big earrings. Her expression seems distant, yet she gives off an innocent look.

When her picture first got published, it had all been exciting. Everyone at the company congratulated her, she got calls from family members she hadn't talked to in years and messages of her New Zealand friends who'd always believed in her. People online had started calling her "Mystery Girl." _It's finally happening_ , Jennie thought.

She just didn't expect multiple paparazzi outside the YG building waiting to film her and ask questions on her way to practice. Fortunately, security had been at the front door and protected her. _Still_ , Jennie had never experienced something of the sort, that kind of attention made her introverted self feel uncomfortable. After that happened once, she started disguising herself, wearing newsboys caps and big sunglasses to the agency.

By the end of the month, things had calmed down a little for Jennie. There was still always one or two creeps with their cameras in the distance, looking for the slightest crumb of information about these minors. The members that had been introduced first were Eunbi and Euna through a YouTube video posted on April 6, but YG hadn't said they were part of the new group yet, just labeling them as trainees. The two had gone through something similar but nowhere as crazy as Jennie since they had revealed their names already.

Jennie felt bad for Jisoo, she would be introduced in four days. At least she had Jennie's experience to learn from and could expect what's to come.

After her, Lisa would be presented next but, since she was YG's first international member, the agency also wanted to film a video of her impressive dancing. Lisa had finally dyed the ends of her hair brown for her photoshoot, going to a professional salon and everything.

The girls were currently learning the choreography for _Turn Up The Music_ by Chris Brown in their dance class, so Mr. Yang would give everyone a week to master it. For Lisa, that was a piece of cake. She would even do a front flip, that's just how amazing she was.

How was their relationship going? Well, nothing happened outside the dorms, to say the most. Jennie was too scared to go out in public and drag Lisa with her, not to mention it might spoil her as Jennie's fellow member before Lili's proper announcement. They couldn't risk that. Sometimes they were even afraid to be by themselves.

Every day had become harder to endure, but then a change of pace hit them on May 7th. After Lisa's Korean lesson, she entered the elevator to head to her dance class. She pressed the button and the automatic door was about to close until someone outside opened it.

"Thank God," the girl breathed out in English. She had some sort of accent, different from Jennie's. New Girl was wearing a tight blue shirt, skinny jeans and vans, a guitar case hanging over her shoulder. _Australian_ , Lisa thought, getting that vibe from her. New Girl was a centimeter taller than her, which was surprising, considering everyone else here tended to be shorter.

Lisa didn't expect New Girl to follow her into the same practice room, but she did. Lisa decided to ignore her for now, starting to stretch by herself after leaving her backpack on the side.

Through the mirrors, Lisa could see New Girl looked lost, but the Thai girl wasn't confident enough to talk to a stranger in English or Korean yet. Plus, Lisa had to prepare for the video, she didn't have time to think about anyone else right now.

Jennie was the third girl to arrive, noticing New Girl immediately. "Oh, hello, I'm Kim Jennie. You are the new international trainee, right?" Jennie asked her in Korean.

New Girl took a moment to answer but then nodded her head. "Yes, I'm Park Chaeyoung from New Zealand. My parents are Korean and I grew up in Australia."

"Oh my god, what are the chances?" Jennie suddenly answered in perfect English. "I lived in Auckland for five years before becoming a trainee. I visited Australia too, but I ended up choosing New Zealand to study."

"Oh wow, I didn't expect anyone here to know English. My Korean is a little rusty because I rarely use it nowadays, so sorry if I make any mistakes." Chaeyoung glanced around. "So, where's everyone?"

"Right. _Um_ , you're a little early. That's why only me and Lisa are here, the others should be arriving in fifteen minutes." Jennie paced for five seconds, deciding how she should handle this. "Okay, are you a dancer or a singer? Or both?"

"Singer, I've never really danced in my life."

"Lovely, YG put you in the hardest dance class on your first day," Jennie commented, scoffing. "Do you know the song _Turn Up The Music_?"

Chaeyoung nodded. "Of course, I don't live under a rock."

"Great. You can leave your guitar over there and we can get started." Jennie pointed towards the wall beside the chairs. "I'll teach you the basic moves."

Chaeyoung did as Jennie told her and then stood beside the Korean girl.

"Okay, the intro is really easy. First, you put your right foot on the front. Second, you lift your leg backward, kneel in the air and then place it behind you with strength." Jennie demonstrated the move. "As if you were going to take a step forward, but then you realize you forgot something so you retreat and go back for it."

Chaeyoung laughed, this girl was clearly making it seem easy, so she tried it and instantly regretted it, seeing that she looked silly through the mirror.

"Hey, it's fine, it's your first time, remember? Let's try it again."

 _Jennie is so cute_ , Lisa thought to herself as she watched them practice in the background.

After Chaeyoung learned the three-steps-move in the intro, that's when the difficult part came in.

"You haven't had any krump lessons yet, right?"

"No, I think I have that class after this."

"Oh, you might meet my roommate there, cool." Krumping was really hard in the beginning. Unless Chaeyoung was a natural, they couldn't get this part done in ten minutes. "Well, basic krump... _Hmm_ , what was that first class?" For Jennie, that had been almost two years ago.

"Balance," Lisa mumbled in the distance, loud enough so Jen would hear.

"Yeah, balance. Thanks, Lili." Jennie put her weight on one foot first and then on the other, bending her leg in every step. "Do it with me."

Chaeyoung imitated her and found out she had no real sense of balance. It was probably because she was way too tall or just because she sucked, but she hadn't expected this to be this hard.

Jennie left her practicing by herself and asked her to call her when she thought she was ready to learn the next move.

Chaeyoung felt overwhelmed, she had cried all night after her parents left her at the dorms by herself. They had only come to drop her off, say their goodbyes and then fly back to Melbourne. Chaeyoung had been too scared to fly by herself, not knowing how to deal with anything. Her world had been turned upside down overnight and she was just a fifteen year old.

All the other trainees showed up and their dance coach arrived right on time. Kim Hee Jung counted her students. "Jennie, where's Jisoo?" she asked, sounding like she was annoyed.

"She had an appointment in the hospital to check her ankle, she'll be back for her next class."

"Ah, I remember now." Hee Jung sighed. "You two need to stop being reckless," Hee Jung commented, rolling her eyes with her body. Jennie and Jisoo kept going to the hospital because they always pushed themselves too hard. "Anyway, we have a new student who auditioned in Australia, she got the first place within 700 contestants. Park Chaeyoung."

Chaeyoung blushed, not expecting such a big introduction. She tried to not be so embarrassed as she did her best not to laugh out of anxiousness. "Hello, everyone. Park Chaeyoung. Nice to meet you all!"

"Since this is your first class, I'll let you watch the full choreography first. I want you to pay close attention." Hee Jung send Chaeyoung to the chairs and went towards the radio. "Lalisa, do the routine. The rest of you, warm up in the back."

Lalisa nodded and waited for the queue. She started with the moves Jennie was teaching Chaeyoung but Lalisa was going all out, adding krump techniques to the three-step intro and the following part. Everything had passed in a flash, Chaeyoung felt like she had just watched something out of this world. Despite seeming shy, Lalisa danced and acted like a professional. _Could Chaeyoung ever get that good?_ She really wanted to.

* * *

Chaeyoung managed to go through the dance class, but barely. The instructor had put her aside, showed her how to warm up and also taught her some basic techniques. In that moment, she had missed Jennie's funny way of explaining things. But well, it's not like she wanted to burden the others in her first day, so she just did as she was told. When the rest of the trainees took a break, that's when Coach Hee Jung started demonstrating the choreography to Chaeyoung.

After that, Chaeyoung attended her first krump lesson, leaving her guitar beside the chairs again. Half the students were different from her previous class and, well, the only person she had talked to wasn't here. Just as the teacher was about to close the door, the most beautiful girl popped her face through the frame, flashing a playful smile. "Nyeongan!"

 _Was this what they called love at first sight?_ Chaeyoung wondered. The girl had shiny black hair, big eyes, and plump lips. She was only wearing a little makeup, which gave her a natural look. She was wearing a big red hoodie, black stirrup pants, and white sneakers. In comparison to the others, it was a simple outfit, but she looked like a model on it.

"Jisoo, just come in," the teacher said, moving aside.

"Yeah, yeah." Jisoo entered the room and said hi to a few girls from the other class, who asked how her hospital visit went. "I'm fine, don't worry."

Suddenly, Jisoo turned around towards Chaeyoung, her hair flipping. Jisoo approached her, jumping like a cute bunny. "Hi, I'm Kim Jisoo. Nice to meet you!"

" _Ahjshs_ , hi. Park Chaeyoung," the New Zealander answered, trying her best not to panic over this goddess talking to her. "The pleasure is mine."

"You're so formal," Jisoo giggled. "Relax, Chaeyoung-ssi, krump is all about letting loose to have control."

After that, Jisoo spun around and went into position for the lesson. Chaeyoung found an empty spot by the back and took it. Krump was really tough, but Jisoo's words had eased her mood quite a lot. Chaeyoung got mad whenever something didn't go her way and dancing had definitely not.

At least she had personal singing lessons past that, which was what she had wanted to do all day. Let every stressful emotion come out. Let new emotions in. Learn how she could improve. Feel everything through until it didn't matter anymore.

Fortunately, she didn't have any dance classes for the rest of the day. She had an individual guitar and piano lesson, and for the end of her first day, Japanese. That's where she reunited with Jennie, Lisa and Jisoo, who were all sitting together. Jennie and Lisa were in the back, sitting side-by-side, and Jisoo was in front of Jennie's desk. Rosé took the seat next to Jisoo, who just smiled at her. "Nyeongan, again!"

"Hi..." Hearing Jisoo just reminded Chaeyoung of how embarrassed she felt after that krump lesson, but Jisoo didn't seem to be judging or pitying her. It's more like... she had been through it.

Jennie leaned forward, noticing the new girl. "How was your first day?"

"I hate dancing."

Jisoo chuckled and Jennie glanced at her girlfriend. Lisa seemed to be in her own world, writing and drawing things in her notebook. Jennie thought she'd jump right in and defend what she loved the most, but it was like she didn't even want to try talking to Chaeyoung. I guess she was still not comfortable speaking to anyone besides her, Jisoo and Jinny. Don't get her wrong, Lili talked to their other members when it came down to explaining her choreographies, but that was pretty much it.

"I used to be like that. I felt like a drag," Jisoo shared. "But I didn't want to be that person, so I worked hard."

"It becomes fun once you get the gist of it," Jennie added, feeling like she had to defend Lisa's territory.

" _Mhm_ ," Jisoo hummed in agreement, giving Chaeyoung a little hope that things might get better.

By the end of the class, Jennie looked at Chaeyoung. "Are you staying at the dorms or do you live with your family?"

Chaeyoung's expression changed, seeming very upset. "The dorms. My family only came to help me get settled and left last night. I've never been so far from them..."

"Hey..." Jennie said softly. "Wanna hang out in our dorm for a little while?"

Chaeyoung's eyes widened. "Oh, is that okay?"

" _Girls Night_ ," Jisoo said in English, sounding extremely adorable. _How could she say no?_ "Yo, Lalisa, you too."

Lisa finished packing her notebook and just nodded, following them all the way to the dorms. Even though Chaeyoung could have stopped by her own room to drop her stuff, she still carried her guitar around to Jensoo's dorm.

When they entered, Jennie pulled out some snacks and served pear juice for everyone. Jisoo had sat down on her bed with Chaeyoung and initiated a conversation about kangaroos and koalas. In the meantime, Lisa was just sitting on Jennie's bed, looking awkward.

Jennie approached her girlfriend, giving her a bag of chocolates she liked. "Are you okay?" she whispered.

Lisa nodded, smiling at her. "I just don't know what to say around her."

"Whatever's on your mind is fine. Don't think too hard, that's not my Lili." Jennie poked her nose and handed the other girls a bowl of chips. "We sneak these into the building, we're supposed to diet though."

Chaeyoung gasped. "They don't let you eat these?"

"They can't stop us," Jisoo stated, raising her fist as a sign of revelry.

"They don't sell things too high on calories in the bending machines," Jennie elaborated. "And well, we work out with all the training we do..."

"So it's as if we never ate it," Jisoo finished mysteriously.

Jennie sighed, sitting beside her girlfriend and squeezing her knee playfully. "If only we were like Lisa. She doesn't gain weight, no matter how many sweets she eats."

"For real? I'm so jealous," Chaeyoung whined. "She already dances perfectly. Is there anything she doesn't excel at?"

"No. Wait, maybe guitar—"

"Korean," Jisoo joked.

Lisa threw a pillow at Chu, showing everyone that she _had_ been paying attention to them.

Chaeyoung raised her eyebrows in realization. "Oh, where is she from? I thought she was just shy."

"No, I'm just Thai," Lisa answered in Korean, hugging Jennie's dog doll. _And maybe I feel something is up with you_. I don't know, something felt off, how this girl was so friendly and ended up here. Lisa's best friends really had a big heart.

"She's the first international trainee ever," Jennie told Chaeyoung. "You're the third but, unlike you, she came here not knowing the language."

" _Ah_ , I know what that's like." Chaeyoung munched on some chips. "My parents just kept talking to me in Korean growing up and then they sent me to an English-speaking school."

"Seriously, how haven't we met before?" Jennie asked, she had gone through the same thing.

"I moved to Australia when I was... _eight?_ "

"I went to New Zealand when _I_ was eight." Jennie laughed. "Wait, how old are you?"

"I turned fifteen in February."

"Ah, you're the same age as Lisa, just one month older."

"Lisa will always be the maknae," Jisoo singsong, and this time she dodged Lisa's second pillow and threw it right back. "Maknalisa!"

"That's now Jinny!" Lisa argued, getting up to hit Jisoo with the pillow.

"Even though this will be hard to believe, Jisoo is the oldest, she's seventeen," Jennie said in English as Chu and Lili began fighting. "And I'm in the middle."

Chaeyoung didn't find it all that difficult, Jisoo was truly beautiful and her facial features were a little more refined than the others', just like her body's.

"Kids, we have a guest, remember?" Jennie called them out. She had invited Chaeyoung to cheer her up, not to watch a brawl. Jennie had already been used to living by herself when she moved to Korea, but she definitely knew how it felt to be away from her family.

"Sorry," the two apologized in unison, getting back to their spots.

"So, how did you end up here?" Lisa asked Chaeyoung in Korean. The way she had phrased it sounded a bit rude, but she pretended not to know that.

"In YG?" Chaeyoung questioned, too innocent to notice. "My dad told me about the audition because I kept singing, and playing guitar and piano all the time. I never considered becoming a real musician until that moment, but it just made sense." Chaeyoung giggled. "It's so funny, my parents told me I was so loud I wouldn't let them sleep. I think half the reason they pushed me to take the audition was so they could."

Everyone but Lisa laughed. "What did you sing in your audition?" Jennie asked.

" _I Won't Give Up_ by Jason Mraz."

"Oh my god, I love that song!"

"Play it," Lisa said upon hearing Jennie's comment. "You have your guitar." Plus, she wanted to hear how good this girl was.

Chaeyoung blushed at the request and was about to make some excuse, but they were all really nice. "S-sure!" Chaeyoung opened her case and pulled out her guitar, putting a capo in the second fret. She grabbed her pick and checked if her acoustic guitar was on tune. It seemed to be fine, so she began performing the song.

They couldn't help to be impressed by Chaeyoung's voice. It was completely different from anyone else's. If Jennie had to compare it to something, the word "Honey" came to mind. Chaeyoung was also really good at guitar. While the original song had a lot of simple chords, Chaeyoung added riff parts in between sections, assimilating the piano and giving the song a new sound.

When Chaeyoung finished, they were left speechless. A sniff broke them out of the trance. It was Lisa. It was the first time she heard that song and the lyrics just got through to her, thinking about her and Jennie.

"Lili..." Jen murmured, gazing at her sadly. She would be lying if she said she wasn't close to crying too, picturing the same thing as her girlfriend. Jennie sat beside her and put her arm around her. "It's okay."

Chaeyoung didn't know what to say, she had never made anyone cry with one of her performances. But she completely understood how Lisa felt, the song was special to her too. There was a girl she had a crush on in her high school in Australia, but Chaeyoung had never been brave enough to tell her. When Chaeyoung found out that she would be going to South Korea, it just seemed pointless to tell her. Maybe she was wrong.

"Don't worry about her, she's a crybaby," Jisoo told Chaeyoung, remembering all the times the maknae balled her eyes out watching dramas.

Lisa leaned forward, as if she were about to fight Chu, but she ended up preferring Nini's embrace. "That was beautiful," Jennie commented.

Jisoo nodded. "Your voice is gorgeous."

"Aw, thank you." Chaeyoung smiled wholeheartedly. She proceeded to put her guitar down, but—

"Keep playing," Lisa interrupted, her voice a bit hoarse from crying. "Something happy."

" _Hmm..._ " Chaeyoung moved her capo to the seventh fret and quickly practiced a few chords, seeing they would work. She started humming the intro melody of _Maroon 5_ 's _Moves Like Jagger_ , strumming her guitar as quickly as the original.

Such a catchy hit got Jennie to sing along to the second half of the verse. Lisa couldn't resist anymore, singing, "And it goes like this, uh~"

Jisoo didn't know the exact lyrics, but she did the falsetto in the chorus, contrasting Chaeyoung's and Jennie's voices. Lisa did all the backing vocals, even adding random ad-libs, which was hilarious.

This was Chaeyoung's first time hearing them all sing and _damn_ , they were all very talented. She didn't really know these girls but, unlike anyone else, they stayed up jamming songs with her until five in the morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, what a chapter. Honestly didn't expect to make Jenlisa canon this early on, but they couldn't wait any longer (Why does it sound like I don't have control over the story and they do?) 
> 
> I was torn between splitting this chapter in two because I wasn't sure where to cut it, I didn't wanna leave you all hanging after that kiss and I ended up writing 8k words while I decided. 
> 
> I cut out a scene and replaced it with something else. Rapper Lisa was gonna be born in this chapter but, after doing some more research on the other members, they already had another badass rapper. So rapper Lisa comes in February 2013 after YG deletes said rapper member and another off their website's trainee list. Rapper Lisa was gonna be fun though, I had written that part two hours before The Show and I talked about Lisa having a lot of attitude, even more than when she sang. Then Lisa went off in Say So rapping, "I got a little bit of attitude, more than enough" and I was like, can I predict the future? But don't worry about it, we'll see it next year (in fanfic time. Note how this chapter is four months worth). 
> 
> ALSO, Rosie Posie in the house. It's gonna be interesting writing her in the beginning, considering she fought a lot with Lisa before realizing they share the same brain cell. I hope you enjoyed the subtle metaphor at the end, mentioning the story about her dad being annoyed at her singing all night and now she found people to sing with.
> 
> Ps. I learned how to play the guitar verse in Gone and I get sad every time I sing it, the lyrics are too depressing aka my type of music, haha. Can't wait for her solo, the art and photography direction in the MV is gorgeous and I'm excited to see it all. I feel like Rosie might post it on her birthday just like one of her covers, but no other teasers yet so ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
> 
> Stream https://youtu.be/1QD0FeZyDtQ


	13. Butterfly

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't mean for IRL stuff to match what I had prepared for this chapter, lol...  
> Anyway, here's the YouTube playlist if you wanna check out the songs mentioned!  
> https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBB7NwTNtnpEaUL7qJEY6mgEeFABpddpv

As planned, Lisa's dance video was released on May 10th. Even Chaeyoung had been there during the recording, but everyone but Lisa had been censored with a black cover. YG didn't reveal Lisa's name or nationality, they just said her age was sixteen. In Korea, you were a year older by default because they considered the time you spent in your mother's womb, therefore you were born with one year. That was a bit tough to explain to Lisa—even she was confused during her birthday—but she was just happy that now everyone got to see her talent, especially her parents in Thailand. Lisa balled her eyes out when they'd called her and told her how proud they were, that the distance is worth it, that her effort is paying off. No matter how many times they had already said it, Lisa always felt it through.

Jennie had visited her girlfriend that morning after watching the video. Yeah, she had been there, but she still needed to congratulate her. With lots of kisses. But instead, she found a crying Lisa opening the door, who was still on a call with her parents. This was sort of normal now, considering that Lisa talked to them almost every day and they couldn't be alone when Jisoo was up playing games or practicing her dance routine.

"Hi there, I see you've watched Lisa's video," Jennie greeted in English, hugging Lili from behind and resting her head on her shoulder.

"Morning, Jennie!" Lisa's mom chimed in, smiling at the sight of her daughter's best friend. "Yes, our Pokpak is so cool!"

"Absolutely." Nini kissed Lisa's cheek, forgetting for a moment they were on a video call. "Congrats."

"Thank you," Lili said quickly, trying to act normal, but anyone could tell she was really, really flustered.

Jennie wiped her girlfriend's tears and sat down, letting Lisa talk a little more and finish her call.

"Are you sure you don't want my parents to know?" Lisa asked after hanging up, receiving an innocent look from the smaller girl. "You're kind of making it obvious."

"If I'd wanted to make it obvious, I would've done what I wanted." Jennie stood up, walking in front of her girl. "Kiss all your tears away."

Lisa covered her face and squealed. "That's too cheesy..." _And sexy_.

Jennie smirked. "I know you love it, that's why I said it." Jennie moved Lili's hands away. "Otherwise, I'd be cringing at myself and saving it for my love songs about you."

Lisa leaned in and pecked her lips slowly. "Good morning, Nini."

"Good morning, superstar." Jennie grinned. "Let's watch your video together."

" _Aaah_ , okay." Lisa wanted to act more embarrassed but if she was being honest, she'd seen the video about a thousand times already, still not believing that it was her.

She and Jennie went to her bedroom, laying on the bed and pressing play on Lisa's laptop. After the first watch, the more they replayed it, they realized the tiny details in the editing of the video. You could definitely see other trainees behind Lisa during certain moments, which was kind of funny.

What was the point of having everyone dancing if they were only gonna show Lisa anyway? Overshadow them, probably. It's not like they needed to censor everyone else to show that Lisa would be the one shining the brightest. But well, whether it made sense or not, Lisa had been officially announced and that had to be celebrated.

Jennie put the laptop aside and topped Lili, landing multiple kisses on her face and neck after every word, "I'm so happy. We're debuting together."

"Me too." Lisa giggled, a little overwhelmed by Nini's affection. "It tickles."

Jennie stopped and stared at the beautiful girl below her, both her arms pining Lili against the bed. They gazed at each other for a while but the air got so thick they had to do something with it. "God, you're so beautiful..."

Lisa closed her eyes. The fact that Jennie genuinely believed she was meant everything. Lisa didn't like to compare herself to anyone, it was useless, she knew that. But this past year, seeing all these gorgeous trainees whenever she went, it made her feel insecure about her looks sometimes. _Am I pretty enough? Pretty enough to make it?_ Those sort of questions rose. But here she was, kissing the most gorgeous girl in the world, and suddenly all those worries didn't matter.

* * *

Jennie and Lisa ran to the practice room, making everyone inside turn towards them once they'd made it.

"You two are almost late," Coach Hee Jung stated.

"Doesn't that mean they're right on time?" Jisoo said cockily.

Gamja Seonsaengnim rolled her eyes with her body. "Whatever. Let's get started." She headed towards the stereo, setting everything up.

The trainees congratulated Lisa on her video as Jennie walked towards her unnie, whispering, "Thank you."

Chu spun around and shot her roommate with finger guns four times, quickly crossing her thumbs and index fingers to shape her bullets into hearts.

Jennie caught them all somewhere in the air and showed a grateful expression. She slid down an invisible zipper on her upper body and saved the hearts in her chest, securing them with a lock and swallowing the key.

"You're too extra," Lisa told them in English, but then she held Nini from behind playfully, pressing her stomach to make her spit the key.

Chaeyoung scoffed at their antics, those three really acted like idols already.

Gamja Seonsaengnim had turned around at some point and saw them. "Stop turning my lessons into aegyo classes."

" _Ooh_ , are there aegyo classes?" Chaeyoung asked the nearest trainees quietly. She found it cute when actresses or idols did aegyo, so to say she was excited was an understatement.

Lisa's smile turned into a poker face, letting go of Jennie. She swiveled around and went to her position at the front.

_What an attitude..._

Jennie shook her head. "Aegyo is up to you. Like, me and Jisoo despise it but love making fun of it, so we kinda became good at it." She glanced at her girlfriend. "Lisa is a natural though, she loves that type of clingy things."

"Really?" Chaeyoung raised an eyebrow. It seemed just like the opposite. Lisa was weird though. One moment she was timid and sweet, another she was confident and intimidating. You never knew which Lisa you were gonna get.

Halfway through the lesson, Coach Hee Jung finished teaching the kids the full choreography. They had performed a shorter version for Lisa's exclusive video, but class had to go on. The problem was when Coach made everyone do their parts individually during the last hour. As expected, Chaeyoung was the only one struggling.

"You girls can't leave until Chaeyoung gets it right in one go," Gamja Seonsaengnim stated.

A lot of groans and whines were heard. Lunchtime was right after this class and they were all starving. This was incredibly unreasonable and unfair.

It didn't make sense. _Had Coach ever done something like this before?_ Jennie wondered. Now that she thought about it, hadn't Jisoo mentioned it to her during her first week? She glanced at her roommate, who was shaking Lisa's arm.

"Go help her," Chu told her, sounding like the responsible older sister she was supposed to be.

Lisa pouted. "Why me?"

"Because you're the best and you taught me how to dance when we weren't even in the same group." Jisoo pinched her side. "Stop being so childish, you're not usually this bad. You normally jump at the chance of showing anyone what you love."

"Fine." Lisa disliked being scolded, being forced into doing things. It didn't help that she was extremely hungry. She and Jennie had just eaten fruits on their way here because they wouldn't have been able to make it to the cafeteria in time without missing the first half hour of class.

"You." The Thai girl walked up to the new trainee. "You're not marking your moves in the second verse properly. They're too loose." Lisa demonstrated strong steps and hand gestures. "I get if you are tired because you're not used it to yet, but you gotta pull through," Lisa suddenly said in English, not really having the brain to translate all that to Korean. "Come on, do it with me."

Chaeyoung felt guilty and sorry for everyone, but she understood there was no other way but to ignore her own physical pain right now. She copied Lisa, getting her point.

"Your hand," Lisa mentioned. Chaeyoung had clenched it into a fist instead of having an open palm.

There were so many things to consider in dancing. It was what Chaeyoung imagined playing drums was like but worse. She would need two brains to process it all.

"Okay, let's do that whole verse again." Lisa muttered a countdown and then snapped her fingers as if it were the beat, singing the lines a bit slower for guidance.

Chaeyoung followed everything Lisa had just told her, no matter how hard it was to keep track. Don't get her wrong, Chaeyoung was good at learning choreographies—she used to be a cheerleader, after all—, but you cannot _ever_ possibly compare it to professional dancing.

"Yeah, that's way better now, _Joohwang_."

"Chaeyoung," Miss Australia corrected, surprised that Lisa hadn't gotten her name right after three days of knowing each other. She was pronouncing Chaeyoung like the Korean word for _Orange_.

"That's what I said." Then Lisa looked up, trying to remember what else Joohwang was doing wrong. "In the bridge, you gotta bend your knees more as you move them back and forth. When my turn for the final spins comes, don't lose balance. It's pretty obvious."

How come Lisa remembers her dancing but not even a syllable of her name? _Sigh_. Nonetheless, following the instructions, Chaeyoung managed to dance decent enough that Coach let them all go for lunch. It felt like a miracle. "Thank you so much, Lisa."

"You're welcome." Lisa turned around and headed towards the cafeteria. She started serving herself food with her friends, yet still felt a presence behind her. " _Geez_ , you're worse than my sleep paralysis monsters," Lisa exclaimed in Thai.

"Wanna sit with us, Chaeyoung-ssi?" Jisoo—who was in front of Jennie and Lisa—asked, noticing the tallest girl in the room.

"Uh... yeah, I'd love to!" Miss Australia agreed.

Lisa knew Chu had asked her, but somehow it still felt like Joohwang was inviting herself in their circle, sitting beside Jennie, Lisa in front of her girlfriend and Chu in front of the new girl.

Jennie and Lisa started eating eagerly. _God_ , they were never going to class without having a proper breakfast ever again. At this point, Lisa had forgotten about her Thai manners, using chopsticks for her main dish.

Jisoo noticed the couple's rare silent behavior. "Didn't you girls eat?"

Jennie almost choked on her drink but managed to keep composure. "We lost track of time."

Lisa smiled. "My parents called to congratulate me."

"Ah, that's so sweet. It's a two-hour difference, right?" The maknae nodded at Chu. "They got up so early for you..."

"I always tell them we can just talk at night, but they say I'll be too tired after a day of training."

"That's because you fell asleep while you were on a call with them," Jennie mentioned. The Korean girl had talked to them instead, telling Lisa's parents about their daughter's choreographies and the sights they had seen before their teasers were released.

" _Oops_." Lisa shaped her mouth into an O. "That happened once, though."

Jennie gave her girlfriend a knowing look. That was definitely a lie, Lili just couldn't remember because she'd passed out. Jen would let it slide for now, turning towards the new girl. "Have you spoken to your family overseas?"

Miss Australia nodded. "It's really tough. I told them I was struggling a little and they were like, _Changyoungie, Chaeyoungie, come back!_ already."

"Have we found parents more dramatic than mine?" Jisoo questioned, enjoying the _Titanic_ reference. "Also—" She hit the maknae on the shoulder, "—Babolisa!"

" _Ouch_ , what was that for? I did as you told me!" The Thai girl rubbed her arm.

"If you don't know someone's name or how to say it, you ask."

"I thought I had it?" Lisa earned more punches from Jisoo. "Nini!"

"Okay, Chu, enough." Jennie pulled out her notebook and pen, passing it across the table. "Write how you think her name is spelled," she said, gesturing at Chaeyoung.

Lisa wrote the Korean characters _주황_ and everyone glanced at the page expectantly once she put the pen down.

"That's so far off!" Jisoo laughed mockingly.

Jennie chuckled for a few seconds while Chu kept going. Ignoring her unnie, Nini continued, "Do you know what you just wrote means?"

"Orange?" Lisa said timidly in English. _Yeah_ , this tension was why she was still uncomfortable speaking Korean.

"Exactly. Well, as cute as it sounds, it's not really a name." Jennie wrote down _채영_. "Can you read it?"

"Chae... yeon?" Lisa blinked, still feeling like she was pronouncing it wrong. "It was a _Ch?_ I swear it sounds like a _J..._ Those consonants are really similar in Thai."

"Oh, if it's too hard, you can just call me by English name Roseanne, or Rose for short." Miss Australia paused. "I prefer Chaeyoung though."

"Wait, she can do it." Jennie wrote _Chae + Young_ , the romanization of _채영_. "Forget about the A in between. _Chae_ is like _Check,_ and _Young_ is just like the English word."

"Lisa is youngest," Jisoo joked in English.

"Chaeyoung," Lili said out loud and Jennie smiled proudly.

Chu pointed at her. "You smart."

"Oh, you too!" Lisa gave her a high five.

Jennie put her notebook back in her bag. "So, Chaeyoung-ssi, how is your group?"

"We get along fine but a lot of us are new, so we're dying with dance and organization."

"Poor Chaeyoungie," Jisoo mumbled. "If it helps, what Jennie does is set roles. She's in charge of anything vocal-related, Lisa choreography, Miyeon outfits..."

"What about you?"

"I'm... the peacekeeper." Jisoo grinned and made peace signs with her fingers.

"You're my left hand, Chu," Jennie added. "Give yourself more credit."

"Thanks—" _Pause_. "Wait, the left!?"

"I'm the right!" Lisa announced in a baby voice, raising her right hand.

Chaeyoung laughed. _Cute_. "Jisoo, being the left hand is not bad."

"You're just saying that because you're left-handed," Chu groused, seeing right through her. She had noticed in Chaeyoung's first night. While the new girl had played guitar like a right-handed person, she would pick everything up with the left, whether it was snacks or her guitar case.

Chaeyoung just winked at her in response but felt embarrassed right after, proceeding to keep eating her food.

Jisoo smirked, seeing how happy she looked right now. "Work hard, Chaengie."

* * *

By the end of May, all the PINKPUNK members were introduced. All the public attention had added a lot of stress to the girls and it was affecting their usual pace. Regardless of that, they all knew this was not the time to fuck up. Getting straight A's these past months hadn't been luck, it was the result of painful effort. Jennie and Lisa decided to supervise the members this month too, which barely gave them any time to be by themselves. They were too tired in the night and too busy during the day, only sharing glances that screamed _I miss you even though you're here_.

The night prior to the evaluation, Lisa had joined Jennie and Jisoo in their dorm. That was normal by now. They all had showered already and were ready to sleep.

"I'm drained," Chu exclaimed, getting under her blankets. "Don't do anything weird while I'm asleep."

Jennie looked a bit surprised by her words, but her girlfriend had just smirked at her roommate.

"I think a mustache would suit you," Lisa said teasingly. "Can I borrow one of your markers, Jen?"

"Jendeukie, you give Nallalisamang a marker or _even_ let her near my bed, you will become _Jugeunkie_ ," Jisoo threatened, adding the word _dead_ to her already-existing nickname.

"I'll keep her restrained, don't worry, unnie," Jennie reassured her, her tongue stinging from the double meaning. _Yeah_ , if they just wanted to make out, they could do it at Lisa's. But in long nights like these, where they practiced even when lessons were over, it was hard to come up with a reason to sleep over when Jennie was already in her own dorm.

"You better." Jisoo turned off her lamp. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight!" Jennie and Lisa echoed, getting under the blankets and covering their faces.

It was very dark, no real source of light being able to peek inside the bedroom. Jennie took Lili's hand, which always seemed to be warm in comparison to her freezing one. Lisa never expressed discomfort by that. Just like a camera, the temperature balance gave the photo the most ideal color.

Jennie played with Lisa's fingers as they waited for Jisoo to fall asleep. She had noticed it before but her girlfriend had really long fingers. Jennie loved their touch, it was soft and careful. Leaving Lisa's hand on her waist, she moved closer until she could feel her breath. "Hey," Jen whispered.

"Hi..." Lisa murmured back.

"Are you ready for tomorrow?"

The Thai girl nodded with a smile. "I'm excited. I really want you to see my dance."

Nini smiled back. "I really want to see it too, you've been too secretive about it."

"Being honest, I only chose the song two weeks ago." Lisa giggled silently. "It's a new song."

Jennie furrowed her brows. "I should start supervising your dance too. You can't do that."

"Maybe." Lili kissed her cheek. "But I can make it up to you."

" _Uh_ , I don't know. You're gonna have to try harder than that," Nini challenged, even though her face was burning hot already.

Lisa suddenly got on top of her, covering Jennie's mouth to suppress her surprised squeal. She had the smaller girl pinned down, making her look extremely vulnerable and only hers.

During their previous times making out, Jennie tended to be the dominant one as Lisa learned what she liked, what she was comfortable with and vice versa. Personally, Jennie enjoyed Lili's long neck. There was so much skin to explore and the Thai girl reacted whenever Nini pressed a little harder than usual in the right place. She couldn't really try biting yet, they wouldn't be able to hide marks with clothing or excessive makeup during practice while they were sweating like crazy.

On the other hand, Lisa loved nibbling the back of Jennie's ear whenever she saw the opportunity, always leaving a trail of wet kisses on Nini's jawline. Turns out Jennie had a sensitive spot somewhere in there and her girlfriend hadn't been afraid to suck it.

The thing with Lisa was that she had watched a bunch of romantic dramas in the past two months. Now that she was taken and had her first kiss, she got curious whenever she saw a couple kissing in non-conventional ways. Jennie was down to try most of her girlfriend's suggestions, wanting to know as much of Lili as possible.

The Thai girl got the expected, yet every-time-seemingly-new reaction out of Nini. Jennie had to bite her own index finger to not make any possible noise, not wanting to wake Jisoo up. Lisa trailed back to Jennie's mouth and then down to her neck. Nini wasn't as sensitive as her, but Lisa had found all the pulse points that made her shiver. Jennie might not wake up with hickeys, but she would definitely have a bite mark on her finger, clenching her teeth.

* * *

Jisoo woke up around 3AM, according to the alarm clock on her bedside table. The place was pitch black, Chu could only tell she was on her own bed by the way she was laying. She decided to turn on her lamp—Jennie was a heavy sleeper, so Chu didn't think this would wake her up.

Jisoo looked to the side, to where Jennie and Lisa were supposed to be, except they weren't. The bed was neatly made but also very dusty, as if no one had slept there in the past three years.

"Jendeukie?" she called out loud as she stood up and walked towards the door.

Outside their dorm, in the large hallway, the orange lights on the ceiling were dim enough to see that there was no one nearby. Suddenly, a heavy metallic sound roared through the area, like multiple chains clanking against each other. By the end of the hallway, the elevator showed the floor number going up, stopping right where Jisoo was.

The elevator doors burst open and a person's silhouette was visible.

"Hello?" Chu tried again.

The person just started approaching her. When they got close enough to her, she could see that their face was hollow and melting. Scared, Jisoo ran back to her dorm and locked the door, hearing intense knocking after a moment.

"Who are you?" Chu yelled.

No response but the knocks getting louder. Jisoo saw one of the door hinges become loose, so she trotted to her bedroom, locked the door and hid under her bed. The lamp she had turned on was off, as if the lightbulb had exploded. 

The sound of wood breaking made her jump, hitting her head against the bottom of the mattress. She kept her gaze on the door, but everything was now silent.

Jisoo realized she hadn't felt any pain when she bumped her head, so she instinctively turned her to the side. She saw two bodies under Jennie's bed, both looking like the silhouette outside. The closest one reached out to her, their hand extending with dark smoke coming out of it.

Suddenly, the room was blue and Jisoo was on top of her bed. She tried turning around to check the time but her body was numb, more like it refused to respond to her brain. Chu analyzed her surroundings in her line of sight. The door was open. The silhouette appeared through it, their face now fully melted. They were wearing a black cultist robe and their large fingers resembled an ostrich's.

"Why are you here?" Jisoo tried saying one last time but nothing would come out. Just like the mouthless creature approaching her, she couldn't speak.

They grabbed her by the forehead and tightened their grip. This time Chu felt the pain and started feeling like her head would explode. She heard a voice, the words not making any sense to her. They weren't coming from the creature but they still got louder.

In a split second, the monster let go and vanished like smoke. _A ghost?_ Jisoo wasn't sure what or why they did that until she saw black liquid dripping off of her own face. Had she become...?

A bright light cut upon her view.

_Gasp._

"Chuuu!" a childish voice exclaimed next to her.

Jisoo turned towards the girl with worried eyes slowly. _I can move my head now_. She tried moving her pinky, only to realize Lalisa had interlaced it with hers. Chu looked at the time. "What are you doing up so early?"

"I'm a light sleeper, I thought I heard Nini talk but it was you..." Lisa glanced at Jisoo's hands, playing with her fingers. "I realized you were going through something. We were worried, we couldn't wake you up."

"We?" Jisoo asked, looking at the empty bed behind Lisa.

"Jennie is getting you a glass of water," the Thai girl explained. "I woke her up because I didn't really know what to do. I have sleep paralysis too, but I don't think anyone has been able to break me out of it." Pause. "Jennie said she read about it after I told her I had them, so we tried to shake you awake. It didn't work, so Jennie started talking to you and then... _me_."

" _Hmm..._ I think I heard you. Were you talking in Thai?"

Lisa nodded. "I just said what my mom would after I have sleep paralysis. I normally cry right after, I'm surprised you aren't."

Jisoo smirked slightly, still trying to recover from her horrible experience. "I don't cry, crybaby."

"Do you get them often?" Jennie asked, entering the room and handing her roommate the glass of water.

"Almost every day, I think. Sometimes I can't tell apart reality from my bad dreams," Jisoo admitted. "You wake up by the time they're over, so you never got to know and I didn't wanna bother you. I can handle it."

"But unnie..." Jennie argued, looking sad, "I'm here for you, remember? I would wake up at dawn for you, anything to try to help you."

"It's not as easy... as you just saw."

"There's medication for it, you know," Lisa mentioned with a shy tone. "While you don't cry, you were still scared. I could see it."

"It was just... _weird_. I think I had a bad dream first, I couldn't feel anything. Then everything continued when I was about to wake up and I could feel..." _Pain_. "Don't worry too much about me, kids. I'm used to it by now."

The maknae still glared at her with sympathy. She knew how terrifying sleep paralysis was. Getting them every day sounded like hell.

"Enough of this moppy mood." Jisoo stood up. "We have to get ready for our evaluation." Chu would rather forget everything that happened, move on with her life. There was no point in getting caught in things that weren't real.

Jennie and Lisa shared a concerned look, but they went with it for now. _Today would be..._

* * *

"You're not going to believe this, Jendeukie," Chu said, sitting beside her leader in the agency's hallway. "Guess who's gonna be one of the judges today?"

Lisa took something out of her pocket. A wrist heart. "My love for you, Chichu?"

Jisoo raised her fist to hit her, but then remembered they were in public and she also didn't wanna ruin Lisa's hot look.

"I can't really think right now, just tell me, Chu," Jennie answered, being her usual ball of anxiety in evaluation day.

"The one and only, G-Dragon!"

Nini's eyes widened. "Are you trying to make me more nervous?"

Jisoo poked her mandu cheeks. "Deukie, I'm preparing you so you don't have a heart attack in there."

"He's your favorite idol, right?" Lili asked.

Jennie nodded repeatedly. "Just like you, he's naturally talented. He didn't come from much but he's very ambitious and now he's changing the whole hip-hop industry. I admire him a lot, my rap is very inspired by his style— _Oh crap_ ," she suddenly swore in English.

"What?"

Nini buried her head on her knees. "I chose the worst month to be a fangirl and perform one of his songs."

" _Oh crap_ ," her girlfriend echoed. Just like her dance, Jennie hadn't told Lisa what she was singing, saying that she'd picked the song thinking about her and that she wanted Lili to hear it at the evaluation.

Jisoo snapped her fingers on their arms at the same time. "I don't know what _that_ means, but it sounds like a curse word."

" _Ugh_ , I'm so embarrassed!" Jennie whined, letting her thoughtful eyes peek through her arms. "What if I end up ruining his song?"

"Nini, that's impossible," Lili denied. "Everything you touch, you turn to gold."

Jen looked up. "So now I'm Midas?"

"No, you're Jennie and you're the best of the best."

Nini reached out for Lisa, rubbing her arm softly as a quiet _thank you_.

"PINKPUNK, you're up!" one of the staff members announced.

* * *

Jennie hadn't felt the microphone so heavy since her audition. If she spoke, she might just puke her heart out. I mean, it wasn't like she hadn't seen G-Dragon in the building before. It's just, he'd never been this close. _Wow, even his signature cap and casual clothes look stylish_. Jennie absolutely loved his sense of fashion, which had influenced hers in the past years.

 _Listen_ , she found it cringy when fans were over-excited once they met their bias but _damn_ was she feeling cringy right now. _Deep breaths, deep breaths_ , she remember Lisa's words from before Jennie's turn.

"Hey, my name is Kim Jennie. I'm seventeen and I've been training for almost two years. I'm the leader, main rapper, and lead vocalist of PINKPUNK. It's a pleasure to be here." Jennie bowed. _Have I ever been this formal?_ No, the answer was _definitely_ no. "First, I'll be singing _Butterfly_ by G-Dragon and Jin Jung," she said in a high pitch voice.

 _Deep breaths. Deep breaths_. Focus. This song is for Lisa, make it sound as beautiful as she is. "It's all about you, my butterfly," she started.

As always, Jen relaxed as soon as the music played. Lisa felt fluttery with every Korean line she understood. Everything was just perfect. From Jennie's feelings to her talent to get them through. The song begins with an R&B melody but implements an acoustic guitar and cool rap verses without making them feel overwhelming. The magic of the genius that is G-Dragon.

Trainees had to look at the judges while they were performing, but Jennie couldn't help but glance at her smiling girlfriend through the mirror every time she crossed the corner of her eye. To everyone else, it looked like Jennie was facing straight ahead, maybe a little to the side. It was a moment only for them to share.

"Thank you," Jennie said after the track finished, feeling more happy and secure. "Now, to turn things up a little, I'm gonna be dancing _Diva_ by queen Beyoncé."

The fun beat played a moment later. Lisa had helped her put together a badass choreography for this one, the two being absolutely suckers for this song. Putting this together had been wonderful and distracting, but they only allowed themselves to mess around when they knew Jen couldn't keep going anymore.

The first minute of Jennie's dance was strong and powerful, all her expressions confident. The second half of the choreography was sexy. Jennie had even remade the dollar fan from the music video, pulling it out of her hidden back pocket. She used it as a prop for specific parts without fucking up, so that was sick. The dance was complex enough to impress but not difficult enough to possibly break her ankles, so that was usually the level she went for.

By the end of her performance, Jennie studied the judges' faces. G-Dragon looked somewhat amazed, probably by Jennie's change of pace after singing his love song.

Jen smirked contently, thanked everyone again, and went back to her seat beside Lisa.

"I loved the song," Lili said first. "The lyrics..."

"It came on shuffle last month," Jennie shared. "I couldn't think of anyone else," she whispered in English.

Lisa blushed but composed herself quickly. "You did the dance perfectly. Your expressions have gotten way better, it was like I was watching a music sequence in a movie."

" _Aaah_ , thanks," Nini said nervously. Her girlfriend tended to give her the most unexpected compliments, always taking Jennie by surprise. She was feeling too much, deciding to focus on Jisoo's upcoming performances.

Just like Jendeukie, Jisoo chose to take her vocal evaluation first. She would be singing the love ballad _Heaven_ by Ailee. Chu chose to play the piano for this one, wanting to give a genuine feel. It was her first time singing and playing in front of a crowd, but she had practiced enough with her coach to get it perfect.

Dance was no longer the exception for Jisoo's challenging ambitions, picking the choreography for _Sung in Shik_ by Park Ji Yoon. This was a classic, a truly iconic song, and Jisoo was slaying with each move. Lisa was very proud of how far Chu had come.

Just like last time, Jennie and Jisoo quickly ran out to get changed into their group outfits and make it back for Lisa's dance. The two-week-old track was _Tarantallegra_ by XIA. If you ever saw the original dance, your mouth would be hanging open. It was extremely difficult, having a lot of krumping, waacking, quick movements and jumps. Just imagine how much harder it became with Lisa's tweaks. When the Thai girl was done, everyone was speechless. Even the people who were looking through the tiny glass windows outside the doors were. This was at a pro-level, how did Manoban always manage to top her last performance?

The crowd broke out of the trance when Lisa introduced her vocal cover, _Primadonna_ by Marina And The Diamonds. Again, a completely different vibe from her dance. _Tarantallegra_ had a very dark melody while this was your classy dance-pop bop. Hearing Lisa's beautiful falsetto won over everyone's hearts instantly. Of course, the only one who could have Lisa's heart in return was Jennie.

After all the members were finished and dressed, PINKPUNK performed _NanrinA_ by BlockB. The song was strong, cocky, and mock-y. Jennie assigned herself the second rap verse, which was the longest in the track.

She gave Lisa the only English sections. _I don't know, I don't know, I don't know but I'm hot, hot. You know what, you know what, you know what, what I mean, mean~_ , she delivered perfectly. Lisa was also at the center during the dance break, making her and the rest of the group shine so brightly.

Jisoo got the second pre-chorus, right after Lisa's second turn, which was really the only part that would fit her soft but powerful vocals, nailing the high note at the end. Jennie made a mental note to find a more balanced vocal and rap song for next time but everyone in the group, including Chu, had loved the energy.

As expected from the upcoming debuting team, most of them got As and Bs. Jennie had been terrified to hear G-Dragon's feedback when he said in all seriousness, "Why did you call Beyoncé a queen and not GD a king?" After seeing Jennie's panicked expression, he chuckled. "I'm just kidding, Jennie." Pause. "Feedback, right," G-Dragon reminded himself, checking his notes. "You wear all your emotions on your sleeve but not in a dangerous way. You have total control of your voice. I've never seen anyone else sing one of my songs as beautiful and smooth as you did. I can tell you could do any genre and turn it around into your style, you showed me both soft and powerful raps today, as well as vocals and dance itself. Your dance really shook me, I didn't expect such a huge change from the ballad. I can see why you have all those top group positions. I'd love to personally coach you once I release my new EP and its promotions are finished."

Jennie couldn't do anything but blush and say _thank you, I'd be honored_. Otherwise, her so-controlled-emotions would break out.

G-Dragon also expressed his admiration towards Lisa, admitting she was already a professional performer and could be on any stage she wanted. She was sharp and full of personality.

He praised Jisoo's singing and piano skills, saying that he enjoyed the organic vibe of her performance and he wishes to hear her again if given the chance.

In the end, he told everyone that he could see why this was the group that would debut. He encouraged them to find their own style and personality before that happened. For some members, it was crystal clear. For others, not so much. "You should all be preparing to be solo artists before being a group. This is a group of eight members, that's a big number. All of you should stand out," G-Dragon closed his statement.

When they exited the main dance hall, a lot of other trainees received them with waves of compliments. Chaeyoung's group had just been called, but she made sure to praise her three friends in PINKPUNK. She had wanted to see what these evaluations were really like. Despite what they'd already told her, one thing was hearing about it and another was witnessing it yourself. The bar was set pretty, pretty high and Chaeyoung felt nervous. While she knew she only had just started, she was nowhere near where she needed to be.

Chaeyoung felt okay with her vocal and guitar playing of Katy Perry's _Part Of Me_. She hadn't messed up any chords and she had poured her feelings into her singing.

For her dance, she chose _Mr. Saxobeat_ by Alexandra Stan. In her solo lessons, her coach had been very patient. Chaeyoung had a better time learning everything step-by-step without any pressure, it was easier to practice alone instead of having to keep up with people more experienced than you.

Her group performance had a lot of issues with techniques, members not being synchronized or their facial expressions being an absolute wreck. The judges had torn them apart while telling them their scores. As Chaeyoung had expected, she got the lowest in dance and group performance—a C. But in comparison to her team members, she got an A in vocals.

G-Dragon from BIGBANG had told her, "Chaeyoung, you have a very unique voice. I honestly wanna collaborate with you. I know you're new but push yourself hard on dancing. You deserve to be heard." _She should honestly be in YG's new girl group_ , he had told the other judges in private, that included Mr. Yang. While there was a lot to improve, it wasn't hopeless. Chaeyoung had a lot of potential and if she really wanted this, she could get it.

The rest of the judges had nitpicked her every move, each breath, telling her to take more dance classes, even though she was already taking four. Miracles didn't happen in three weeks, but they had expected it to happen anyway and had no mercy. They decided the group didn't work and told her she would be assigned to another. _God_ , Chaeyoung was really bad at holding her tears, so she did her best until she could leave.

Chaeyoung went straight for the bathroom and entered one of the stalls, letting all the rain fall on her cheeks. She was scared. She didn't wanna go through an evaluation again. She wished she could just practice and practice for months until she felt ready, but the rules weren't like that.

What would she be doing right now if she was home? Finishing school? Hanging out with friends? Watching cute girls doing covers on YouTube, wishing she could be like them? In a way, that all sounded pointless and meaningless now. Being here made her feel like she had a purpose, everything to become like the people she idolized.

The judges had told Chaeyoung that they would let them know in which groups they would be in now once all the evaluations were over, therefore she was free to go. She wiped her tears once they were all out and exited the bathroom. There were a lot of people waiting and somehow they reminded her of herself just an hour ago. Chaeyoung couldn't look at the sight anymore, so she went back to her dorm to wash up and change clothes.

After her shower, she realized how hungry she was. Should she go to the cafeteria or go eat outside? The cafeteria food was alright and free, but not as tasty as homemade cooking. As she decided, she went out to the hallway and pressed the button for the elevator. It was coming down and she found three familiar girls once the metal doors opened. "Oh, hi!" Chaeyoung greeted, entering the elevator.

It had taken her a moment to recognize them. Let's just say their outfits made them seem like they were in disguise. Jisoo had her red hood up, making her look like she had shorter hair; Jennie was wearing huge sunglasses, hiding half of her small face; and Lisa was wearing a white bucket hat, way lower than how you were supposed to. "Nyeongan!" Jisoo said brightly. "Are you heading out for lunch?"

"Yeah." Chaeyoung sighed. "The evaluation drained the life out of me, so I desperately need good food."

"Then come join us. We're going to _Myeong-dong!_ " Jennie offered and the elevator opened. "It's Lisa's first time going there. Is it yours too?"

Chaeyoung shook her head as they walked outside of the building towards the bus station. "The church I go to is in there, but I haven't been able to explore much of the market because I have to rush back for lessons."

"Ah, I see." Jisoo remembered Chaeyoung asking if any of them went to church during her first weekend, but the answer for all of them had been _no_. "The cathedral?"

"Yep." Chaeyoung twirled for no reason. "I used to be on the choir of my church. It was so much fun, all my Korean friends were there. It felt like I was living a double life once I went back to my English-speaking school."

"I was also the only Korean in my class." Jennie laughed. "Thankfully, everyone received me with open arms. I didn't know being from another country would make me interesting by default."

"Try having a double nationality and then living somewhere else entirely, it's crazy. You don't know how many times I got asked if I'd ever been to Korea and what places were there to see." Chaeyoung covered her eyes. "I'd only been here once when I was a child, so I couldn't really be the tour guide they wanted me to be."

"No use in getting upset over that. You have Seoul's insider at your service." Jisoo saluted as if she was in the military. "I've never been out of the country, so I basically know every corner."

"Except you have no sense of direction, _hahaha_ ," Lisa mocked, deciding to join the conversation. While she still felt awkward with Chaeyoung around, she couldn't fight her natural, extrovert need to tease Jisoo. "At least I can always ask you where to eat. We have similar food taste."

"Yeah, I can't eat what they do," Jennie commented. "They like overly sweet or overly spicy things, my body can't even take half of it."

Without noticing, they'd already made it to _Hapjeong Station_. The bus arrived shortly and they sat like they tended to do every time they met. Jennie with Lisa and Jisoo with Chaeyoung, who didn't mind one bit—except being this close to a pretty girl always made her shiver. It was a fifty-minute ride but her friends made it great enough that time hadn't seemed to have passed. Lisa had asked what _Myeong-dong_ was like, but Jisoo had replied "No spoilers" in English before Jennie could answer.

"It's similar to the _Hongdae_ market," Lisa said once they'd gotten off the bus and walked for a bit.

"Only it's like ten times bigger," Jennie explained, linking their arms.

" _Wow_ , I feel I'm gonna get broke again," her girlfriend commented.

Nini pouted. "Me too."

"I'll stop you two from buying useless things, shopaholics," Jisoo unnie promised. "Chaeyoung, never leave them alone while shopping. They'll spend their whole allowance."

"Oh no," Miss Australia said worryingly. "My school friends are like that too and then they'd complain their parents refused to give them more money. It stressed me out so much."

"Last week, Jendeukie bought a whole set of colorful markers, even though she doesn't need them."

"I do!" her roommate argued. "We are eight members, so I need to highlight everyone with a different color while doing the line distribution."

"Yeah, eight members, not _twenty_."

"I didn't know so many shades of markers existed. Now if we are harmonizing, I can make that part a whole different color!" Nini had a glimmer in her eyes, as if she truly believed her logic. Well, she was a sucker for school materials, after all.

Lisa wanted to say, _Come on, Chu, Jen isn't that impulsive_ , but she would be lying. Her girlfriend was very impulsive, especially when it came to her frustrations (and shopping, of course). Lisa had known it before, but it had only hit her once Nini dragged her into the Swam paddle boat and got motion sickness.

"Excuses." Jisoo stopped guiding them once she found the food place she was looking for. "Here we are."

They went in. The restaurant didn't look any different from your traditional Korean food place, but the atmosphere felt really welcoming and the soft Jazz music was exactly what she needed to hear, not the never-ending list of idol songs playing outside. It was so bad that every time they passed a new store, the track would change. It was such a weird mashup and Chaeyoung's head had been going crazy. While she loved idol songs, she had heard dozens and dozens just hours ago. She'd had enough for today.

They sat down like they did in the bus and looked at the menu. "Do you want me to ask for the English version?" Jennie asked her girlfriend and took out her sunglasses. Jisoo had also pulled down her hood, feeling a little safer indoors.

Lisa shook her head. "I think I understand most of these but if I don't, I'll just ask you."

"Okay, okay."

Once they had settled what they wanted and ordered, Lisa glanced at Nini timidly. "So what did GD tell you? I missed the last part."

"That he'd loved to coach me once he finishes promotions." Jen squealed and hid behind Lisa's shoulder.

"Oh my God, Nini!"

"I know!"

"When he asked you why you didn't call him king, your face, _kekekeke_." Jisoo understood _GD_ out of Lisa's question.

"I wanted the floor to open up and swallow me."

"He gave you a lot of compliments though, saying how you turned his song around," Chaeyoung reminded her. " _Ajshdj_ , I just remembered what GD told me. I had blocked it out after hearing the other judges."

"What did he say?" Chu prompted.

"That he wanted to collab with me," Chaeyoung said in a high-pitched tone, embarrassed.

"No way!" Jennie gasped. "But at the same time, I see why. Your voice is gorgeous."

Lisa felt annoyed as Chaeyoung's cheeks became red. _I mean, good for Joohwang_ , but why did she have to steal Jennie's spotlight so fast? Why did she have to make everything about her? G-Dragon was her girlfriend's favorite and Lisa doubted he was Miss Australia's, noticing that the chick mostly enjoyed ballads. "Why did you block that part out? Seems weird."

"Oh." Chaeyoung suddenly felt like crying, so she took a sip of water before answering, "Well, I wasn't gonna get a high ranking on dancing but the judges—more than not being happy with our performances—they were mad we were so awful." She took a deep breath. "I did my best, but it still wasn't enough."

Jisoo placed a comforting hand on Chaeyoung's shoulder, rubbing her thumb slowly.

"Did _you..._ do your best?" Jennie asked, her tone friendly enough to not sound extremely rude but also a little to be taken seriously. "You said you expected to get the lowest ranking. You went in knowing you were gonna lose. Is that really doing your best?"

Her words were like daggers poisoned with truth. Maybe Chaeyoung could have practiced when she wasn't in class? Maybe Chaeyoung could have asked them for help? She did consider it, but she also knew that they were busy with their own stages. _God_ , Chaeyoung saw their hard work radiate off their bodies as they performed. She probably radiated E for Effort.

Jisoo had received a similar talk from Jennie forever ago. Chu wondered if she'd looked like Chaeyoung did now. Frustrated. Sad.

"I'm not trying to be the bad guy, but no one listens to the good guy until it's too late," Jennie added.

Chaeyoung waved her hand low in the air, dismissing that she ever thought she was the bad guy. _You just slapped me with reality, that's all_. Chaeyoung needed to grow up, stop treating her training as if it was some difficult school assignment she could procrastinate.

"Your orders," the waiter said and placed their multiple dishes and drinks down. "Enjoy your meal."

Not knowing what else to do, Chaeyoung took a bite of her food. A couple of tears actually came out, making her blink. "This is so, so good!"

"You're crying over _food?_ " Jisoo burst out laughing.

"I'm not on that level yet," Lisa commented, suddenly amazed.

"It's confirmed the four of us are overly obsessed with food," Jennie stated, taking her camera out. "We should capture this."

Chaeyoung stretches out her hand, wiping her tears with the other. " _Nonononono_ , I'm still crying!"

"That's what makes it memorable!" Lisa cheered.

Jennie asked the waiter to take a picture of them, handing him Lisa's camera. He didn't seem worried Chaeyoung was balling her eyes out, too used to children crying over little things in the restaurant. This was just another Friday for him.

 _Snap_.

The waiter returned the camera and Jennie glanced at the photo. "Thank you very much!" She waited for him to leave to giggle. "This is perfect!"

Lisa peeked from the side and covered her mouth to not laugh loudly.

"Let me see, let me see," Chu insisted and received the camera. " _Oh no..._ " She held her laughter in respect for the girl beside her.

Chaeyoung cleaned her eyes with a napkin one last time and was able to see the picture. Jennie had winked at the camera, Lisa cutely stuck out her tongue, Jisoo smiled and did a peace sign. Chaeyoung though... Chaeyoung looked like a lost puppy—her cheeks shining with tears, her eyebrows facing upwards and her fingers still holding the chopsticks. "Oh my God, _noooo!_ " her Australian accent popped. "Delete it!"

Lisa snatched the camera from her and put it back in her backpack. "Never!"

Chaeyoung pouted like a baby who just dropped their ice cream.

"Come on, kids. Let's eat before the food gets cold," Jisoo said before an endless fight could happen. Lisa kept her mischievous smirk and Chaeyoung's expression softened as soon as she ate. _Children are so easy to trick_.

"Lili, try this," Jennie aimed her chopsticks towards Lisa's mouth, which took the piece of food instinctively.

The Thai girl's eyes widened. "I _love_ this—" Pause. "—which means it's a bit too spicy for you. Just leave them on my plate."

"Thank you!" Jennie kissed her on the cheek. They almost panicked, but then they noticed everyone else didn't care and were just focusing on their meal. Jisoo had caught a glimpse of that as she talked to Chaeyoung but at this point, that was normal for her to see.

Jen cleaned Lili's face after tainting her cheek with lipstick. She needed to remind herself to stop whenever she was wearing it, but Jennie enjoyed the thrill of showing Lisa was hers... even if they were the only ones to know it.

* * *

Once they finished eating, the PINKPUNK members put their disguises back and walked around the streets of _Myeong-dong_. Whenever an item or a shop caught their attention, they would check the whole place out.

Jisoo hadn't lied when she said Jennie and Lisa were obsessed with shopping. It wasn't even a specific piece of clothing, it could be anything. Paintings, books, CDs, DVDs, jewelry, electronics, furniture, animal plushies—they were insane. Of course, unnie didn't let them buy excessively.

"No, Lisa, you can't get a cat laser. You don't have a cat," Jisoo had to say once.

"I have cats in Thailand!"

"Exactly, you won't be able to play with them through a video call."

At least it was easy to change Lisa's mind. _However, Jennie's..._

"You can't really afford that right now," Jisoo argued. "You'd run out of money."

"But I _really_ want it. Don't you see this is handmade?" Jennie put the item in Chu's face. "It's the only one in its existence. It's not like I could buy it next month and it'd be back in stock. It'll be gone _forever_."

Jisoo pushed her away gently. "You're so dramatic, just try doing one yourself. It'll definitely be cheaper and you're very talented for that sort of thing."

" _Hmm..._ that's not a bad idea." Jennie returned the handmade item. "Alright, let's go find the materials then."

They spend a few hours like that—browsing, shopping, dragging Jennie and Lisa out of stores... Chaeyoung had a blast.

Around sunset time, Jennie said she wanted to have ice cream. They had passed by an ice cream parlor multiple times and it had been tenting her in the back of her mind.

She got strawberry and banana milk flavors while Jisoo and Lisa both ordered chocolate with fruit pieces. Chaeyoung saw they had a mango and pineapple flavor, making it was a done deal for her.

They ate on their way back to the Myeong-dong station. There were still a few minutes before the bus arrived, so they sat on a bench while they waited after throwing away the ice cream sticks in the trash. Suddenly, Chaeyoung and Jennie got phone alerts at the same time.

Chaeyoung looked at Jennie with a worried face. "Are we getting messages from A?" she joked in English, referencing the _Pretty Little Liars_ tormentor.

Jennie scoffed and read the email she'd just received. She abruptly turned towards Chaeyoung, who seemed as shocked as her.

Lisa took a step closer to her. "What's the matter, Nini?"

" _YG's new girl group was always meant to have 9 members_ ," Jennie started. " _We believe that with enough training, the new international trainee Park Chaeyoung can be part of the final PINKPUNK lineup. Make sure to tell your members and welcome Park Chaeyoung on your next group practice_."

"I don't understand," Chaeyoung said.

"Me neither," Lisa agreed with her for once. "You blew the evaluation, didn't you?"

"Yeah, everything but vocals. Still... _what?_ "

"Welcome to PINKPUNK?" Jisoo congratulated but, for the first time, she sounded unsure.

While they liked Chaeyoung, this didn't make sense. All those months of training to debut and then Chaeyoung was just supposed to skip the line?

"We're not debuting for at least seven months, so she has time," Jennie considered, trying to ignore the problems that came with this. At the moment, they had three other members that hadn't trained for even a year, yet Mr. Yang thought they were ready to debut. This process wasn't really about time but talent and results.

If Chaeyoung pushed them back in dance class, Lisa couldn't imagine how much she will during their group practice. "I won't have any mercy," Lisa warned coldly, making Chaeyoung get goosebumps.

Jennie shrugged. "Well, my colorful markers will come in handy."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> While I don't think Rosie joined within a month, we're doing this for entertainment purposes xd Either way, she's in by August. Let's hope Mentor Lisa doesn't kill her too much, haha.
> 
> Guess I'll address this since it's good to discuss it. Whether you like GD or not, Jennie's privacy was violated, being stalked for 3 years and that's hella scary. How tf is this still happening? Second, GD and Jennie just live in the same building. Otherwise, I'd be dating all my neighbors. Third, don't believe anything unless the evidence is undeniable (in this case, it isn't) and the source comes from the people involved or a representative. That's why I don't really believe in Jenkai and therefore this silly rumor. You shouldn't either. Korean media uses idols and fake information to hide something major, so stay informed!
> 
> I love his music but if GD was in a relationship with Jennie, it would be creepy for me since he knew her since she was a teenager. If they had just met a few years ago, sure, but that's not the case. At least there's no relationship to worry about :)
> 
> Let's keep supporting our girls and their individual projects. I've been having a blast watching Youth With You!


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